United States Vice President JD Vance dialed Prime Minister Narendra Modi Both leaders discussed ways to further deepen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.
Prime Minister also congratulated JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance on the birth of their son
In an X post, Prime Minister Modi said, “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,” added Prime Minister.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), PM Modi and JD Vance noted the sustained momentum in high-level engagements and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation across various sectors.
“They noted the sustained momentum in the high-level engagements and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation in trade, defence, critical and emerging technologies, energy security and critical minerals. They also exchanged views on regional and global developments of mutual interest,” the PMO said.
In July this year, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar agreed to accelerate work on key defence agreements and to conclude an interim bilateral trade deal that Washington described as “almost complete,” signalling fresh momentum in the strategic partnership between the two countries.
The two leaders met in Manila on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ meetings, where they also reviewed developments in the Middle East andthe Indo-Pacific, according to a US State Department readout.
“Secretary Rubio met today with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Manila. The Secretary (Rubio) and Minister Jaishankar discussed recent developments in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific,” State Department Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in the official readout. The two sides also reviewed progress on defence cooperation. “The Secretary (Rubio) and Minister Jaishankar discussed finalising key defence agreements in fulfilment of commitments made between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi last year,” the readout said.
US VP call comes day after US Senate passes bill threatning 100% tariffs on India
Meanwhile, the call came just a day after the US Senate on Friday passed a bipartisan bill that could authorise President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from countries, including India and China, that continue to import Russian oil and gas, because such trade helps sustain Moscow’s economy and fund its military operations in Ukraine.
The Senate approved the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by an overwhelming 86-11 vote.
Under the bill’s provisions, the US president would receive discretionary authority to levy tariffs of up to 100% on imports from the world’s top five buyers of Russian crude oil or natural gas.
India expanded its purchases of discounted Russian crude after the Russia-Ukraine conflict began in 2022 to meet national energy needs amid global market turmoil.
Although Russia had not traditionally been a primary supplier for India, the availability of discounted crude enabled Indian refiners to lower raw-material costs and maintain uninterrupted domestic supplies, particularly during transit disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
New Delhi has consistently stated that its energy procurement decisions are driven solely by national interest, energy security and the need to ensure affordable and reliable energy for its citizens.
While Washington has previously expressed concerns about global purchases of Russian oil, Indian refiners have maintained a pragmatic approach centred on domestic energy stability.
