A day after US President Donald Trump called Prime Minister Narendra Modi to wish him on his 75th birthday, a former senior Indian government official described the phone exchange as another “moment of bonhomie” between the two leaders and a positive signal for bilateral ties.

Speaking exclusively to IANS, Jayant Krishna, Senior Fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and former CEO of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), said Trump’s praise for Modi highlights the goodwill underpinning the India-US relationship.

“Such calls are common among leaders of friendly nations. But this one stands out as President Trump reaffirmed that PM Modi is doing a tremendous job for India. One hopes there is no going back, and that trade talks move toward a win-win outcome,” Krishna noted.

On Tuesday, Modi thanked Trump on X, calling him a “friend” and pledging to advance the Comprehensive Global Partnership. Trump, in turn, posted on Truth Social, calling Modi’s leadership “tremendous” and thanking him for support on resolving the Ukraine conflict.

The conversation came a day after US Assistant Trade Representative Brendan Lynch met India’s chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal in Delhi, with both sides terming the talks “positive.” Krishna described the engagement as a much-needed “stock-taking exercise” that could pave the way for the sixth round of negotiations within two months.

He also praised New Delhi’s “mature” handling of recent US trade-related criticism, urging pragmatic flexibility, especially on tariffs and agricultural products. While he predicted limited concessions on farm and dairy imports, he said New Delhi must accept the inevitability of lowering tariffs in other areas to secure broader gains.

“Win-win negotiations are always about give and take, a deft combination of assertion and acquiescence,” Krishna added.