Congress questions whether India-US ties are “natural” given Trump’s 35+ remarks about using trade to influence Indo-Pak peace.
Modi and Trump exchanged friendly comments, expressing confidence in trade talks and a stronger partnership.
Relations are warming after a period of tension over tariffs and Russian oil purchases.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comments characterising India and the US as "natural partners" drew criticism from the Congress on Wednesday. The Congress questioned whether the two countries are so natural that President Donald Trump has claimed on "more than 35 different occasions" that he negotiated the "ceasefire" between India and Pakistan by using trade as leverage.
According to PTI, the jab from the opposition party followed Prime Minister Modi's enthusiastic response to US President Trump's favourable evaluation of the two nations' trade negotiations, in which he expressed confidence that the current discussions will open the door to realising the partnership's boundless potential.
According to Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh, "Prime Minister Modi has stated to President Trump that India and the United States are 'natural partners.'" Now, the question is: Are they so normal that President Trump has stated more than 35 times that he used trade as leverage to bring about the truce between India and Pakistan on the evening of May 10th?
President Trump's statements that he is confident there will be "no difficulty" for the two nations to reach a successful conclusion in trade talks and that he looks forward to speaking with his "very good friend Prime Minister Modi in the coming weeks signal a thaw in the bilateral cold between the US and India.
Reportedly, on Tuesday, the US president expressed his happiness on Truth Social, writing that he was "pleased to announce that India, and the United States of America, are continuing negotiations to address the Trade Barriers between our two Nations."
"In the next weeks, I'm excited to talk with Prime Minister Modi, who is a very good friend of mine. "I have no doubt that we will reach a successful conclusion for both of our Great Countries," he declared.
In response to the post, Prime Minister Modi wrote on X on Wednesday that he was certain the continuing talks would open the door to their partnership's boundless possibilities.
India and the US are close friends and natural partners, Modi said, adding that both countries are working to conclude the trade discussions at the earliest.
He said, "I am also looking forward to speaking with President Trump. We will work together to secure a brighter, more prosperous future for both our people." Trump shared the prime minister's post on his social media platform.
The US president's latest comments signal a significant thaw in bilateral relations as ties between the two countries reeled under possibly the worst phase in over two decades amid tensions over tariffs and Delhi's purchases of Russian oil.
Trump has doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent, including a 25 per cent additional duty for India's purchase of Russian crude oil.
The US move was deemed "unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable" by India.
PTI reported that the following months of disparaging remarks about India, Trump stated last week that the US and India have a unique connection and that there is no need for concern because the two nations "just have moments on occasion."
"I always will. I'll always be friends with Modi; he's a great Prime Minister. He's great. I'll always be friends, but I just don't like what he's doing at this particular moment," Trump had said in the Oval Office on Friday.
"But India and the United States have a special relationship. There's nothing to worry about. We just have moments on occasion," Trump said, with a smile.
Responding to the comments, Modi on Saturday had said that he deeply appreciates Trump's positive assessment of India-US relations.
Deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump's sentiments and positive assessment of our ties," Modi said.
"India and the US have a very positive and forward-looking Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership," he had said.
