The Narendra Modi-Donald Trump friendship saga continues. The restarting of trade talks on the eve of the Prime Minister’s birthday may have been a coincidence, but there was no doubting the genuineness of the feeling of mutual admiration that spilled over into their exchange of greetings over a phone call about Mr Modi’s milestone day. Whether that will lead on to a trade deal, and soon, too, is a different matter.

Trump’s accent was on Mr Modi’s supporting role in trying to end the Ukraine war whereas Mr Modi emphasised on taking the Indo-US comprehensive and global partnership to new heights. Is there a distinction to be discerned there in the objectives of the two leaders? It does appear that the prospect of resetting ties with an eye on the overall strategic relationship is brighter

See Full Page