NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump spoke in a phone call on Monday, the former said in a post on X, the first conversation between the two leaders since Trump’s inauguration last week.

According to the White House, the two leaders discussed plans for Modi to visit the US.

Trump emphasised to Modi the importance of moving towards a fair bilateral trading relationship, and called on New Delhi to increase its procurement of US-made defence equipment.

“We are committed to a mutually beneficial and trusted partnership,” Modi said in the post,

adding that he also congratulated his “dear friend” on his second term in office.

“We will work together for the welfare of our people and towards global peace, prosperity, and security,” the Indian prime minister said.

The United States is India’s largest trading partner and their two-way trade surpassed $118 billion in 2023-24, with India posting a trade surplus of $32bn.

Indian and US diplomats are trying to arrange a meeting of the two leaders as early as next month, officials said last week.

India, a strategic partner of the United States in its efforts to counter China, is keen to enhance trade relations with the US and make it easier for its citizens to get skilled worker visas.

The influence of Indian-Americans in US politics is growing, with its so-called ‘Samosa Caucus’ of lawmakers swelling to six and a host of Indians being hired to top posts in the Trump admin.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2025

Opinion

Editorial

Ukraine initiative
Updated 21 Feb, 2025

Ukraine initiative

Whether Trump’s Ukraine peace initiative succeeds or not, it will be difficult for Kyiv, Europe to face Russian military machine without US support.
High cost of SOEs
21 Feb, 2025

High cost of SOEs

THERE are losses and then some. The finance ministry’s latest overview of the federally owned state enterprises...
Poor impression
21 Feb, 2025

Poor impression

RECENT developments in the Senate have provided cause for concern on how parliamentary business is being conducted....
Premature alarm
Updated 20 Feb, 2025

Premature alarm

Improvement in headline inflation gives policymakers chance to fix investment policies, implement structural reforms.
Forsaken province
20 Feb, 2025

Forsaken province

AND the endless cycle of violence continues. The brutal killing on Tuesday night of seven Punjab-bound passengers in...
In poor health
20 Feb, 2025

In poor health

THE absence of decent and affordable healthcare in the country continues to ruin lives. An example of this is ...