Trump calls Modi to wish him on his birthday amid ‘positive’ trade talks

Call takes place hours after trade officials from both nations meet in Delhi for first time since Washington doubled tariffs on Indian goods

U.S. president Donald Trump telephoned Narendra Modi to wish him a happy 75th birthday, in their first publicly known conversation in three months.

The Indian prime minister, whose birthday is on 17 September, thanked Trump in a post on X, writing: “Like you, I am also fully committed to taking the India-U.S. Comprehensive and Global Partnership to new heights. We support your initiatives towards a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict.”

Trump echoed the sentiment on his Truth Social platform, saying: “Just had a wonderful phone call with my friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I wished him a very Happy Birthday! He is doing a tremendous job. Narendra: Thank you for your support on ending the War between Russia and Ukraine!”

The call took place just hours after trade officials from both nations met in New Delhi for the first time since Washington doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent last month. The duties were imposed as part of Trump’s pressure campaign over India’s continued purchase of Russian oil, which, along with China, makes it one of Moscow’s biggest buyers.

The Indian commerce ministry described the latest round of discussions as “positive” and “forward-looking”, adding that both sides had agreed to accelerate efforts to reach an “early conclusion of a mutually beneficial trade agreement”.

A U.S. delegation was led by Brendan Lynch, assistant trade representative for South and Central Asia, while India’s team was headed by chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal.

Despite the upbeat tone, significant hurdles remain.

Washington has long pressed New Delhi to reduce its oil imports from Russia and open its farm and dairy sectors to American producers – demands that India has resisted, with Modi promising to safeguard the livelihoods of farmers. U.S. officials have specifically cited corn as an export they want included in a deal.

The renewed engagement comes after months of strained exchanges. Trump’s advisers, including Peter Navarro and treasury secretary Scott Bessent, previously criticised India sharply, and a scheduled round of talks in late August was cancelled.

Students wearing masks of India's prime minister Narendra Modi attend a school programme to celebrate his 75th birthday, in Mumbai on 17 September 2025 (AFP via Getty Images)

India’s exports to the U.S. dropped from $8.01bn in July to $6.86bn in August, according to government data, with exporters warning that the full effect of the higher tariffs would be felt from September.

The birthday call also touched on the war in Ukraine. While neither leader offered detail on what Modi’s support for U.S. initiatives might involve, the reference marked a rare public alignment on an issue where India has resisted Western pressure.

This is not the first time Trump has linked trade and foreign policy to South Asia’s security. He has repeatedly claimed that he “stopped a nuclear war” by leveraging trade pressure after Indian air strikes on Pakistan-backed militants in May – assertions New Delhi rejected.

Even so, signs of rapprochement surfaced in recent weeks. On 6 September, Trump described the relationship with India as “special” and “nothing to worry about”.

Modi quickly reciprocated, praising the U.S. president’s “positive assessment of bilateral ties”. Both leaders have since spoken of their “natural partnership” and the “limitless potential” of closer cooperation.