Trump speaks to PM Modi, says US ambassador to India Sergio Gor
The phone conversation between Trump and PM Modi also happened on a day External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar began a three-day visit to Washington.
United States President Donald Trump has spoken with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sergio Gor, the US ambassador to India, said in a post on X on Monday, February 2. Sergio Gor said, “President Trump just spoke with Prime Minister Modi. STAY TUNED…”
Sergio Gor said this in a brief social media post without sharing the details. The phone conversation between Trump and PM Modi also happened on a day External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar began a three-day visit to Washington.
New Delhi has not yet made any comment on the conversation.
Update: Donald Trump has announced a trade deal between India and the United States, reducing reciprocal tariff from 25 per cent to 18 per cent. He also claimed that on his call, the Indian prime minister “agreed to stop buying Russian oil, but much more from the US, potentially Venezuela.”
In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump said, “We spoke about many things, including Trade, and ending the War with Russia and Ukraine. He agreed to stop buying Russian Oil, and to buy much more from the United States and, potentially, Venezuela. This will help END THE WAR in Ukraine, which is taking place right now, with thousands of people dying each and every week!”
“Out of friendship and respect for Prime Minister Modi and, as per his request, effective immediately, we agreed to a Trade Deal between the United States and India, whereby the United States will charge a reduced Reciprocal Tariff, lowering it from 25% to 18%. They will likewise move forward to reduce their Tariffs and Non Tariff Barriers against the United States, to ZERO.”
He continued: “The Prime Minister [Modi] also committed to “BUY AMERICAN,” at a much higher level, in addition to over $500 BILLION DOLLARS of U.S. Energy, Technology, Agricultural, Coal, and many other products. Our amazing relationship with India will be even stronger going forward. Prime Minister Modi and I are two people that GET THINGS DONE, something that cannot be said for most. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
India and the United States have been engaged in efforts for the past few weeks to address the strain in their relationship since America slapped tariffs on Indian imports and move forward on finalising the proposed bilateral trade deal.
Earlier today, Donald Trump claimed that India will be buying the Venezuelan oil. Donald Trump said earlier in the day: “India’s coming in and they’re going to be buying Venezuelan oil, as opposed to buying it from Iran. We’ve already made the deal, the concept of that deal.”
The US President had also posted image of a magazine cover which featured him and PM Narendra Modi with the cover saying ‘The Mover and The Shaker’.
The United States is poised to import its highest volume of Venezuelan oil in a year after the Trump administration moved to assert control over the country’s energy supply and urged oil companies to invest $100 billion in rebuilding Venezuela’s oil infrastructure.
Yet as the US emerges as the biggest recipient of Venezuelan oil following Maduro’s capture, shipments to China – which averaged 400,000 barrels a day last year – fell to zero in January amid a US naval crackdown on the so-called dark fleet of vessels used to transport sanctioned oil to China.
(With agency inputs)
