Vance dials Modi day after Senate clears sanctions bill

US Vice President JD Vance and PM Narendra Modi discussed strengthening India-US strategic ties.

Key areas of cooperation include trade, defence, energy security, emerging technologies, and critical minerals.

The call occurred amidst rising tensions in West Asia and new regional alignments, including a defence pact involving Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the comprehensive global strategic partnership.

The discussion also touched upon regional and global developments of mutual interest.

United States Vice President J D Vance dialled Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday to discuss expanding the India-US comprehensive global strategic ties in trade, defence and energy security amid rising tensions in West Asia.

The two leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in emerging technologies and critical minerals.

Vance's call to the prime minister came days after Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan signed a mutual defence pact that was widely seen as a reflection of a new regional alignment amid the West Asia conflict.

During the conversation, PM Modi extended his congratulations to Vance and Second Lady Usha on the birth of their son.

"Received a phone call from US Vice President J D Vance. We discussed ways to further deepen India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership across key areas," Modi said on social media.

"Warmly congratulated him and the Second Lady on the birth of their son and conveyed best wishes to the entire family," he said.

Deepening Bilateral Cooperation : An Indian readout said Modi and Vance reviewed progress in the India-US comprehensive global strategic partnership.

"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," it said.

"They also exchanged views on regional and global developments of mutual interest," it added.

The American side has not yet provided any details of the conversation. It is not immediately known whether the proposed trade deal between India and the US figured in the talks.

On Friday, the US Senate voted overwhelmingly to approve a bill to punish Russia and key buyers of its petroleum products, such as China and India, claiming that such trade helps fuel the Ukraine war.

The bill, renamed the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, was approved by the Senate by an 86-11 vote.

It allows President Donald Trump to impose 100 percent tariffs on goods from countries that are top five importers of Russian oil and gas.

At present China, India, Azerbaijan, Hungary and Slovakia are top five importers of oil and gas from Russia.

Recent History Of India-US Relations : PM Modi and US President Donald Trump, during their meeting in France in June, instructed their officials to work towards a balanced, mutually beneficial and commercially meaningful trade agreement at the earliest.

The relations witnessed a major downturn after Washington, DC imposed punitive tariffs on India last year and Trump made assertions regarding his role in de-escalating the India-Pakistan military clashes of May 2025 that drew sharp reaction from Indian officials.

Over the next few months, the US president repeatedly and publicly claimed that he had resolved the military conflict between the two neighbours and saved millions of lives as it was heading toward a full-scale war.

New Delhi stoutly maintained that the cessation of the hostilities was a result of talks between India and Pakistan and the US had nothing to do with it.

Washington, DC's new immigration policy and its decision to increase the H1B visa fee also contributed to the slide in India-US ties.

However, both sides made efforts in the last few months to repair the ties and even moved forward to firm up the trade deal soon.