 "During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to the US in February, the two countries vowed to double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. Reuters")
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to meet President Donald Trump, a senior White House official has said, as relations between India and the US begin to take an upward trajectory after disputes over trade, tariffs and Russian oil.
“I’m sure you’ll see the two meet. They have a very, very positive relationship. We’ve got Quad Summit and we’re working on planning. At some point that will happen, if not this year, then next year,” the official told ANI.
They added that a possible meeting between the two leaders is currently being planned and that dates will be finalised soon. “So there’s a lot coming up on the US-India relationship, and I think we’ll see some continuous positive momentum,” the official further said.
India-US ties hit a snag after Trump raised tariffs to 50 per cent, punishing India for purchasing Russian oil. The president and his colleagues have blamed India for “fuelling the Russian war on Ukraine” by buying oil from Moscow.
However, both countries are showing signs of resolution after Trump called Prime Minister Narendra Modi his “great friend”, not once but multiple times, adding that the US is committed to settling trade differences with India.
‘Don’t want to punish India’
Meanwhile, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Wednesday called on India to reconsider its purchase of Russian oil, stating that New Delhi has ample alternative sources. He framed the decision as both a moral and strategic one, arguing that buying Russian crude indirectly supports atrocities in Ukraine and that shifting away from it could open the door to stronger energy cooperation between the US and India.
“We don’t want to punish India. You can buy oil from every nation on the earth, just not Russian oil. That’s our position. America has oil to sell, so does everybody else,” Wright said.
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More Shorts“There are lots of oil exporters in the world. India doesn’t need to buy Russian oil. India buys Russian oil because it is cheaper. Nobody wants to buy Russian oil; they have to sell it at a discount,” he added.