Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke to US Vice President JD Vance over the phone and discussed ways to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. Sharing details on X, PM Modi said the two leaders discussed ways to deepen cooperation between India and the US across key areas.
PM Modi also congratulated Vance and the Second Lady on the birth of their son and conveyed his best wishes to the entire family.
“Received a phone call from US Vice President JD Vance. We discussed ways to further deepen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership across key areas. Warmly congratulated him and the second lady on the birth of their son and conveyed best wishes to the entire family,” wrote PM Modi on X.
The conversation comes at a sensitive time for India-US economic relations. The US Senate on Friday passed a sweeping Russia sanctions bill that could give the US president authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries buying Russian oil, with India among the countries potentially affected. The legislation still has to clear the US House before becoming law.
Received a phone call from US Vice President JD Vance. We discussed ways to further deepen India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership across key areas.
Warmly congratulated him and the Second Lady on the birth of their son and conveyed best wishes to the entire family.…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 8, 2026
At the same time, India and the US are continuing negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement. A senior US official said in July that the deal could potentially be signed within three to four months.
Trade Deal Remains Key Agenda
The two countries had earlier reached a framework for an interim trade agreement in February 2026. The framework envisaged greater market access and more resilient supply chains, while also committing both sides to continue negotiations towards a broader bilateral trade agreement.
An Indian parliamentary panel has now urged the government to work towards an early conclusion of the India-US trade pact while strengthening safeguards against possible US tariff measures.
The latest tariff threat could therefore add another layer of complexity to negotiations that are already focused on market access, tariffs and economic cooperation.
Broader Strategic Partnership
Beyond trade, India and the US have been working to expand cooperation across defence, energy, critical technologies, critical minerals and supply chains. The broader relationship has been described by both sides as a comprehensive global strategic partnership.
Against this backdrop, Modi’s conversation with Vance comes as New Delhi and Washington seek to maintain their wider strategic partnership while navigating trade negotiations and growing differences over India’s purchases of Russian oil