NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump spoke in a phone call on Monday, the former said in a post on X, the first conversation between the two leaders since Trump’s inauguration last week.

According to the White House, the two leaders discussed plans for Modi to visit the US.

Trump emphasised to Modi the importance of moving towards a fair bilateral trading relationship, and called on New Delhi to increase its procurement of US-made defence equipment.

“We are committed to a mutually beneficial and trusted partnership,” Modi said in the post,

adding that he also congratulated his “dear friend” on his second term in office.

“We will work together for the welfare of our people and towards global peace, prosperity, and security,” the Indian prime minister said.

The United States is India’s largest trading partner and their two-way trade surpassed $118 billion in 2023-24, with India posting a trade surplus of $32bn.

Indian and US diplomats are trying to arrange a meeting of the two leaders as early as next month, officials said last week.

India, a strategic partner of the United States in its efforts to counter China, is keen to enhance trade relations with the US and make it easier for its citizens to get skilled worker visas.

The influence of Indian-Americans in US politics is growing, with its so-called ‘Samosa Caucus’ of lawmakers swelling to six and a host of Indians being hired to top posts in the Trump admin.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2025