Modi and Vance discuss India-US partnership amid sanctions bill

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US Vice President JD Vance spoke by phone on Saturday, August 8, 2026, discussing ways to strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership across key areas including trade, defense, critical technologies, and energy security. The conversation occurred hours after the US Senate passed a bipartisan sanctions bill that could authorize President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on countries, including India, that continue purchasing Russian oil.

Modi announced the call on social media, stating, "Received a phone call from US Vice President JD Vance. We discussed ways to further deepen India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership across key areas." He also congratulated Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance on the birth of their son, conveying best wishes to the family. The Indian government's official statement noted that the leaders reviewed progress in the bilateral partnership and acknowledged the "sustained momentum in the high-level engagements."

The call came amid ongoing negotiations between India and the United States to conclude an interim bilateral trade deal. The two countries had announced a...