Trump lights Diwali lamps at White House, claims conversation with PM Modi on trade and peace; India denies call
PTC Web Desk: US President Donald Trump celebrated the festival of Diwali at the White House on Tuesday, lighting traditional lamps alongside Indian-American members of his administration and community leaders. The ceremony, held in the Oval Office, featured a brass five-wick diya placed on a flower-decked table in front of the Resolute Desk, symbolising the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.
Prominent figures, including FBI Director Kash Patel and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, joined the celebration marking the "Festival of Lights." In his address, Trump highlighted Diwali’s message of hope, positivity, and triumph of knowledge over ignorance.
Before the event, the US President told mediapersons that he had spoken with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the day, discussing trade and regional peace. “We talked about a lot of things, but mostly the world of trade. He’s very interested in that,” Trump said, adding that he also advised both India and Pakistan to avoid conflict.
Trump described Modi as “a great person” and “a great friend,” emphasising their long-standing relationship. However, India has once again refuted Trump’s claims of a recent conversation between the two leaders. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that no phone call had taken place.
This is not the first time Trump has claimed to have spoken with PM Modi about India’s oil imports from Russia. A week earlier, he asserted that Modi had agreed to halt Russian oil purchases, a statement India promptly denied. “There was no phone call between the two leaders,” the MEA reiterated.
Trump defends tariffs on India
Trump’s comments come amid growing trade friction between Washington and New Delhi. The US has imposed additional tariffs of up to 25% on Indian goods, particularly in response to India’s continued import of Russian oil. These measures have pushed total tariffs on Indian imports to nearly 50% this year.
Defending his trade policy, Trump claimed that his tariff strategy not only strengthened the US economy but also helped prevent wars. “Of the eight wars I mentioned, five were based solely on trade and tariffs,” he said.
Trump also repeated his earlier claim of mediating tensions between India and Pakistan, suggesting that his intervention helped prevent a “nuclear disaster.” Indian officials, however, have dismissed these assertions, reiterating that the ceasefire understanding between the two nations was achieved directly through communication between their respective military operations heads, without any third-party involvement.
- With inputs from agencies
