US President Donald Trump said on 6 November that his trade talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are 'going well' and he is considering a visit to India next year.
He referred to Modi as ‘a friend of mine’ and praised India's progress on the energy front, underlining that India has ‘largely stopped buying oil from Russia.’
These remarks came amidst prolonged negotiations between Washington and New Delhi over a proposed bilateral trade deal, as well as hefty US tariffs on Indian goods.
Earlier, the US imposed a 50 percent duty on some Indian imports, linked to India's continued purchase of Russian crude, which the Trump administration views as indirectly supporting Moscow's war in Ukraine.
India has characterized the talks as 'positive' and 'forward-looking,' but for its part, continuously stressed its need to safeguard energy security and maintain stability in domestic fuel prices.
One of the key sticking points has been whether India will substantially cut its imports of Russian oil, a demand the US says is non‑negotiable. Trump says the tariffs on India will remain unless it happens.
If a deal is reached, it could open fresh avenues in agriculture, energy, and industrial trade and possibly ease some of the recent trade tensions. Still, significant hurdles remain: tariffs, Russia's oil imports, and India’s sensitive farm and dairy sectors all loom large.