Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call on Thursday to review India-U.S. ties as both nations work toward resolving ongoing trade disagreements and expanding strategic cooperation.

The call, described by officials as cordial and forward-looking, discussed ways to deepen the bilateral relationship in defence, technology, economic cooperation, and regional security. This comes amid negotiations between the two sides on a possible bilateral trade agreement, with senior U.S. trade officials currently in New Delhi for talks.

Soon after the discussion, Prime Minister Modi shared a statement on X,”

"Had a very warm and engaging conversation with President Trump. We reviewed the progress in our bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments. India and the U.S. will continue to work together for global peace, stability and prosperity."

The leaders discussed the larger strategic partnership that has grown steadily over the last decade, according to reports. The two sides reaffirmed the importance of cooperation on defence modernisation, critical technologies, energy security and counter-terrorism. According to officials, the two leaders expressed satisfaction with the pace of collaboration under the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.

Trade remained the main talking point. Indeed, over the last year, India and the US have conducted several rounds of negotiations on tariff and market access issues. The US had earlier raised duties in certain categories by as much as 50% on specific Indian goods, such as textiles, chemicals, and seafood.

People close to the matter said Modi and Trump reviewed the status of ongoing trade discussions and agreed to maintain constructive engagement. The current U.S. delegation, led by Deputy Trade Representative Rick Switzer, has been holding meetings with Indian officials in New Delhi this week to narrow down gaps on tariff relief and mutual market access.

The discussion also reportedly covered the newest global developments, where both leaders expressed their belief in the need for closer coordination within the Indo-Pacific region, where the common strategic interests of India and the United States converge. With geopolitical tensions rising in many regions, both countries are working closer on defence interoperability and maritime security.

Officials familiar with the bilateral relationship said Modi and Trump also exchanged views on expanding collaboration beyond trade. This included areas such as critical and emerging technologies, energy cooperation, defence, security and other priority sectors that form part of the India–U.S. COMPACT initiative - Catalysing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Technology. Thursday's call is being seen as an effort to keep diplomatic channels active while technical teams continue detailed negotiations. The positive tone of the conversation, especially Modi's description of it as "very warm and engaging," shows that both governments want to go ahead with a collaborative approach and avoid trade frictions from spilling over into broader ties.

No concrete announcement was made regarding the finalisation of a trade agreement. The leadership, however, agreed to keep in touch and continue discussions in the following weeks. Frontline officials from both sides said the aim is steady progress on long-pending issues, besides an expansion of cooperation in new areas of mutual benefit. This phone call once again reinforces the reality that the India-U.S. relationship remains strong, multi-layered, and forward-looking. In the light of such negotiation processes, it seems both countries are juxtaposing economic imperatives with the long-term project of setting up a stable partnership.