New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday “expressed his heartfelt appreciation” to US President Donald Trump during a telephonic conversation on the occasion of Diwali. This is the third call between the two leaders in the last 45 days, indicating that the partial thaw in political ties continues.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi today expressed his heartfelt appreciation to President of the United States, Donald Trump for his warm Diwali greetings and a personal phone call marking the occasion of the festival of lights,” the Indian statement said.
It added: “The Prime Minister emphasised the enduring strength of the India–United States partnership and reiterated India’s unwavering commitment to combating terrorism and fostering international cooperation.”
On Tuesday, Trump hosted a Diwali celebration in the White House, which was attended by both Indian Ambassador to the US Vinay Kwatra and the American ambassador-designate to India Sergio Gor. Trump announced that he had spoken with Modi, during the Diwali celebrations at the White House, while asserting that the conversation involved trade.
“You know, we talked about trade. We talked about a lot of things,but mostly the world of trade. He’s very interested in that. Although we did talk a little while ago about, let’s have no wars with Pakistan. And I think the fact that trade was involved, was able to talk about that. And we have no war with Pakistan and India,” said Trump.
However, Modi in his statement on ‘X’, as well as the statement published by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), makes no mention of discussions on trade. The PM’s statement focuses on a conversation that dealt with “combating terrorism and fostering international cooperation.”
Thank you, President Trump, for your phone call and warm Diwali greetings. On this festival of lights, may our two great democracies continue to illuminate the world with hope and stand united against terrorism in all its forms.@realDonaldTrump @POTUS
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 22, 2025
Trump further restated his claim that India is not “going to buy much oil from Russia” which is a statement he also claimed was promised to him by Modi last week during a call. However, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) cast a shadow of doubt, when its official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that he was not aware of any call between the two.
“We’re working on some great deals between our countries. I spoke to Prime Minister Modi today, as I mentioned before. And we just have a very good relationship. And he’s not going to buy much oil from Russia. He wants to see that war end, as much as I do. He wants to see the war end with Russia and Ukraine. And, as you know, they’re not going to be buying too much oil. So they’ve cut it way back. They’re continuing to cut it way back,” Trump said when questioned on the status of ties with India.
Ties remain frosty primarily due to trade, with Trump imposing 50 percent tariffs on Indian exports that came into effect at the end of August. The tariffs are amongst the highest for any country trading with the US.
The American President asserted that the high tariffs are due to India’s continued purchase of Russian oil. India’s purchases of crude from Moscow touched $56 billion in the 2024-2025 financial year, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
India has rejected any political call to reduce the purchase of Russian oil, while maintaining that all decisions with regards to energy purchases are made on the basis of prevailing prices in the market. This American administration has been pushing New Delhi hard to reduce its economic and strategic engagement with Russia.
Trump has also consistently taken credit for pausing the India-Pakistan hostilities through the threat of tariffs, a claim he restated during the Diwali celebrations. New Delhi has rejected the assertion that trade was discussed with the US during Operation Sindoor.
In fact, the call between Modi and Trump in June was contentious enough that the two did not speak again till September. The three months between the calls led to political ties between the two countries to deteriorate. However, the bilateral mechanisms continued to operate normally.
The partial thaw at the political level began last month when Trump called Modi to wish the PM for his 75th birthday. While Modi has confirmed three calls with Trump since September, the American President has asserted that at least four conversations have taken place.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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