New Delhi: The United States vice-president, JD Vance, spoke with prime minister, Narendra Modi, on Friday as New Delhi and Washington look to strengthen their strategic partnership amid shifting geopolitical dynamics and continuing tensions in West Asia. Modi said the two leaders discussed ways to further deepen the India-US global strategic partnership across key areas.
In a post on X, Modi said he also congratulated Vance and the US second lady, Usha Vance, on the birth of their son and conveyed his best wishes to the family. The US side has not yet released details of the conversation, leaving it unclear whether the proposed India-US trade agreement was discussed.
The call comes at a time when the wider West Asian security landscape is undergoing significant changes. A recent mutual defence pact signed by Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan has added to the emerging regional alignments, while India and the US continue to engage on strategic and economic issues.
Trade remains one of the key areas in the India-US relationship. During their meeting in France in June, Modi and the United States president, Donald Trump, had directed officials from both countries to work towards an early, balanced and mutually beneficial trade agreement.
The latest outreach also comes after a period of strain in bilateral ties. Relations were hit by US tariff measures against Indian goods, differences over Washington’s claims regarding the May 2025 India-Pakistan military confrontation, and disagreements over immigration policy and higher H-1B visa fees.
New Delhi had repeatedly rejected Trump’s claims that he played a decisive role in ending the India-Pakistan hostilities, maintaining that the cessation of fighting followed direct talks between the two countries. Despite these differences, both sides have in recent months sought to rebuild momentum in the relationship and advance negotiations on trade and other areas of cooperation.
Vance’s latest engagement with Modi comes after his visit to India with Usha Vance and their three children. During the visit, Modi hosted the US vice president and his family at his official residence, while the delegation also visited the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in Delhi.
The visit was Vance’s first to India as US vice president and the first by an American vice president to the country in more than a decade. The previous such visit was made by then-US vice president Joe Biden in 2013.