Addressing a press briefing on Tuesday (native time), White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned, “The President is optimistic and feels very strongly in regards to the India-US relationship. A number of weeks in the past, he spoke to the Prime Minister instantly when he celebrated Diwali within the Oval Workplace with many high-ranking Indian-American officers right here on the White Home.”
She added that the US has “an amazing Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor,” and confirmed that Trump's commerce staff is engaged in “very critical discussions” with New Delhi. “I do know the President has nice respect for Prime Minister Modi they usually communicate fairly ceaselessly,” she added.
Leavitt's remarks come days after Trump claimed that India had considerably lowered its buy of Russian oil, calling New Delhi “superb” on the problem throughout his current five-day Asia tour. His feedback marked one other in a sequence of statements since mid-October asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him India would curb or halt crude imports from Moscow.
Trump's claims come within the context of his administration's push to economically isolate Russia by means of sanctions and vitality restrictions amid the continued warfare in Ukraine.
Earlier this month, India's Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) issued a response to Trump's feedback, reiterating that the nation's vitality sourcing selections are primarily based on nationwide pursuits and shopper welfare.MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal mentioned, “India is a major importer of oil and fuel. It has been our constant precedence to safeguard the pursuits of the Indian shopper in a risky vitality situation. Our import insurance policies are guided fully by this goal.”He added that India's vitality coverage focuses on making certain secure costs and secured provides by means of diversified sourcing. “The place the US is worried, we've for a few years sought to increase our vitality procurement. This has steadily progressed within the final decade. The present Administration has proven curiosity in deepening vitality cooperation with India. Discussions are ongoing,” Jaiswal mentioned.
Relations between New Delhi and Washington have confronted strains after the US imposed steep commerce tariffs on India in August. The US levied 50 per cent tariffs, together with 25 per cent secondary duties, as punishment for India's continued oil purchases from Russia.
In August, India had slammed the transfer as “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable,” whereas Trump described US-India commerce ties as a “completely one-sided catastrophe.”
Throughout his tackle to company leaders on the Asia-Pacific Financial Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea final week, Trump additionally claimed he had “threatened India and Pakistan with tariffs” to forestall a possible nuclear warfare.
His remarks referred to India's Operation Sindoor, launched in Might following the Pahalgam terror assault in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 civilians.
Trump claimed he performed a major position in stopping a bigger battle. Nonetheless, India has firmly rejected Trump's model of occasions. The MEA acknowledged that the ceasefire between India and Pakistan was achieved by means of established army communication channels between the Director Generals of Navy Operations (DGMOs) of either side.
“India's place stays unchanged, all points with Pakistan are to be resolved bilaterally, with none third-party involvement,” the ministry reiterated.
