Many critics of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi were quick to sound the death knell for the India-US partnership after President Donald Trump, in a characteristically abrupt move, announced steep tariffs of up to 50% on Indian exports. Commentators rushed to claim that Washington had turned its back on New Delhi. Opponents predicted misery for Indian exporters, pointing out that shipments worth $87 billion had been sold to the American market the previous year. To them, this punitive measure was proof that the relationship was unravelling.
In Islamabad, leaders stooped to flatter, indulging President Trump's ego with talk of Nobel Peace Prizes and making a spectacle of their supposed "new closeness" with Washington. For a fleeting moment, it seemed as though Pakistan's strategic irrelevance had been forgotten and that India had lost the prized position it had cultivated across successive American administrations.
But PM Modi remained calm in the face of the tariffs, refusing to utter a word of disrespect against the US or its President. Having dealt not just with Trump in his first term but also with Barack Obama and Joe Biden, the PM understood the rhythms of American politics. He knew that India enjoyed rare bipartisan support in Washington, a fact visible during his State visit to the US just over two years ago, when leaders from both parties lauded India's rise and welcomed PM Modi. The PM also knew that beneath the turbulence of tariffs lay a relationship with genuine strategic depth -- one that could weather temporary storms.
That depth is not rhetorical. It is anchored in dozens of institutional linkages: From military-to-military cooperation and joint intelligence work, to partnerships between universities, think tanks and research centres. The connections between Silicon Valley and Bengaluru, between the Pentagon and India's defence establishment and between Wall Street and Mumbai, all mean that the partnership cannot simply be dismantled by a single presidential decision. New Delhi's confidence rested on the fact that while the tariff dispute was temporary, India-US ties are permanent.
In recent weeks, Trump has begun to soften his tone. On Truth Social, his personal platform, he has posted flattering remarks about PM Modi, praising his leadership and effectiveness. But the most dramatic gesture came on Wednesday, when he picked up the phone to personally call the PM on his 75th birthday. World leaders across continents offered their greetings that day, but none carried the same symbolic heft as Trump's call. He hailed the PM as a "tremendous leader" and a "friend," signalling not just personal warmth but a recognition of India's centrality in US strategic calculations. The two men spoke not only of birthdays but also of global issues: The Ukraine war, technology cooperation and defence.
The birthday call came almost simultaneously with renewed trade discussions in Delhi. A US delegation led by negotiator Brendan Lynch sat down with Indian counterparts for what both sides described as "useful and constructive" talks. While American officials stopped short of announcing a fresh negotiation round, the atmosphere was markedly different from the tense exchanges of recent months. Both sides acknowledged progress on thorny issues, and there is cautious optimism that the punitive tariffs will soon be scaled back.
This is vindication of PM Modi's approach. By refusing to escalate the rhetoric and by keeping channels open, he ensured that the dispute did not harden into hostility. For Trump, who has often used tariffs as bargaining chips, it is a chance to reset ties without losing face. The symbolism of the timing -- trade talks one day, the presidential call the next -- was not lost on either capital.
But trade represents only one slice of the relationship. The true depth of India-US ties lies in defence and strategic cooperation. Over the past decade, India has increasingly turned to the US as a supplier of high-end military equipment. From drones and helicopters to artillery systems and transport aircraft, American weaponry now features prominently in India's arsenal. Joint military exercises have become annual showcases of interoperability. Intelligence-sharing has expanded significantly, with the US recognising India's role as a stabilising power in the Indo-Pacific.
For the US, India is the only democratic giant in Asia capable of balancing China. For India, the appeal lies in diversifying defence suppliers, reducing reliance on Russia and accessing cutting-edge American technology. This is not a patron-client dynamic but one of mutual necessity. Perhaps the most exciting arena of cooperation is technology. In semiconductors, the lifeblood of the global economy, India and the US are building new bridges. American firms are investing in India's nascent chipmaking sector, aiming to create supply chains less dependent on China and Taiwan. Research collaborations between US tech companies and Indian universities are proliferating and India is positioning itself as a manufacturing base and a hub for design.
The corridors of Silicon Valley and Bengaluru are now so tightly interwoven that they are almost indistinguishable. Thousands of Indian engineers are central to America's innovation engine, while American firms are investing heavily in India's digital infrastructure. From AI to cybersecurity, from space exploration to green technologies, the areas of partnership are multiplying
All this makes Pakistan's occasional return to Washington's spotlight look increasingly hollow. Trump's earlier gestures towards Islamabad were long on showmanship but short on substance. With the US out of Afghanistan, counterterrorism priorities shifted elsewhere. Given economic engagement with Pakistan is minimal, there is little incentive for the US to spend diplomatic capital there. By contrast, India offers everything Pakistan does not. It is a vast and growing market, a technological powerhouse, a reliable democratic partner and a counterbalance to Chinese influence. It is not hard to predict that once Trump settles back into the rhythm of governance, Pakistan will once again fade from American strategic vision. The harsh reality for Islamabad is that its utility to Washington has diminished to near irrelevance.
India, of course, insists on strategic autonomy. PM Modi has shared stages with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin even as he embraces partnerships with Washington and Tokyo. This act is not a contradiction but a deliberate assertion of independence. India's very autonomy increases its value to the US. For American policymakers, Modi engaging with Russia and China is a reminder: Isolating India is impossible, and ignoring it is unwise.
The story of PM Modi's 75th birthday will be remembered not only for the chorus of greetings from world leaders but also for the unmistakable signal sent from Washington that India and the US remain bound together by interests far deeper than tariffs or tactical irritations. Trump's call was not merely a personal gesture of warmth; it was a reaffirmation of a strategic partnership that has become one of the pillars of the 21st-century order.
As the world's most populous democracy and the world's most powerful democracy move forward, their paths are increasingly entwined. In defence, in technology, in trade and in shared values. President Trump's return to warmth towards the PM is less a surprise than a reminder of what both sides already know that this is a relationship too vital to fail and too consequential to unravel.