American singer Mary Millben on Tuesday (local time) welcomed the steps taken by President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to move forward with trade talks amid fears of a 50 per cent tariff increase. Trump initiated the talks with Modi on Tuesday, expressing optimism about reaching an agreement and referring to Modi as a “very good friend.”
Taking to X, Millben said, “This is how friends negotiate. With mutual respect, understanding, and shared common ground. This is the @POTUS and PM @narendramodi I know. We need each other and we are stronger together. Our alliance sets a moral and economic compass for the world. And a pathway to peace.”
Last month, Millben had expressed concern over the trajectory of India-US relations, after Trump imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods effective August 7 2025 and hinted at a potential increase. He later announced that the tariffs would be doubled to 50 per cent, describing it as a punishment for India’s purchase of Russian oil.
{{/usCountry}}Last month, Millben had expressed concern over the trajectory of India-US relations, after Trump imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods effective August 7 2025 and hinted at a potential increase. He later announced that the tariffs would be doubled to 50 per cent, describing it as a punishment for India’s purchase of Russian oil.
{{/usCountry}}Millben wrote on August 6, “I’ll say again: America needs India, and India needs America. Any direction in policy that strains our strategic alliance is the wrong direction. @POTUS and @NarendraModi, my beloved leaders, this exchange of ‘muscular verbiage’ on tariffs is troubling us all. Furthermore, countless small businesses in the US and India are hurting in this ‘tariff tug of war.’ I speak to them daily. Remember, we need each other. Negotiate as real friends. Find common ground. Your legacies and the well-being of our countries depend on this moment.”
Earlier in the same month, Trump had said, “India has not been a good trading partner, because they do a lot of business with us, but we don't do business with them. So we settled on 25 percent but I think I'm going to raise that very substantially over the next 24 hours, because they're buying Russian oil.”
What Trump and Modi said in recent moves
Trump on Tuesday announced that trade negotiations between India and the United States are continuing to address “trade barriers”. He also expressed his anticipation of speaking with his “very good friend” Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding, “I feel certain that there will be no difficulty in coming to a successful conclusion for both of our Great Countries!”
Responding to Trumps remarks, PM Modi described the US and India as “close friends and natural partners” and expressed confidence in the ongoing talks, stating they would unlock the “limitless potential” of trade relations between the two nations.
Modi wrote on X, “India and the US are close friends and natural partners. I am confident that our trade negotiations will pave the way for unlocking the limitless potential of the India-US partnership. Our teams are working to conclude these discussions at the earliest. I am also looking forward to speaking with President Trump. We will work together to secure a brighter, more prosperous future for both our people.”
Trade tensions between the two countries escalated after Trump initially imposed 25% tariffs on Indian imports, later doubling them to 50%. These duties were introduced due to India’s oil trade with Russia, which US officials claimed indirectly helped Moscow fund the war in Ukraine.
Recent reports indicate that President Trump is reportedly considering even higher tariffs, potentially up to 100%, on India and China, Russia’s two largest oil buyers. He has also urged the European Union to impose sweeping duties on India.
According to the Financial Times, Trump held a meeting with senior US and EU officials in Washington, demanding coordinated action. An unnamed US official told the publication, “We’re ready to go, ready to go right now, but we’re only going to do this if our European partners step up with us.”
The reports of Trump considering increased tariffs come after PM Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping demonstrated a united stance at the SCO Summit in Tianjin.