Donald Trump: Former US President Donald Trump has said that the US and India are “natural partners” and is confident that long-stalled trade talks between the two countries will soon reach a deal. This is a big change in tone. Trump, who was known for being tough on trade issues while he was president, wrote on social media that he was “looking forward to speaking” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to move talks forward.
Trump’s comments come at a time when both India and the US are dealing with tough global issues, such as keeping the Indo-Pacific safe and working together on energy and technology. People think that Washington might be willing to start trading with India again in a more positive way after what he said.
What PM Modi Said
In response to Trump’s post, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that ties between India and the US are strong. Modi wrote on X (which used to be Twitter), “India and the US are close friends and natural partners.” I’m sure that our trade talks will open the door to the cooperation between the US and India’s endless possibilities. Our teams are working hard to get these talks over with as soon as possible.
In his response, Modi not only welcomed Trump’s efforts to reach out, but he also made it clear that India is committed to strengthening its relationship with the US, especially in trade and business.
The Standoff Over the Trade Deal
There have been talks about a trade deal between the US and India for many years, but progress has been slow because of differences over tariffs, intellectual property rights, and market access. The US took away India’s preferential trade position under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) while Trump was president. This made trade between the two countries more difficult.
But Trump’s most recent comments point to a move toward working together instead of fighting. People who watch him say that his statement that India is a “natural partner” could mean that he wants to rebuild trust and work for deals that are good for both sides.
What India-US ties mean for strategy
Besides trade, India and the US have rising interests in defence and strategy. Along with Japan and Australia, these two countries are important parts of the Quad alliance, whose goal is to keep the Indo-Pacific area stable. Technology, clean energy, and digital innovation are also part of the partnership. This makes it one of the most all-around two-way ties in the world.
