Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jan 26: US President Donald Trump on Sunday extended greetings to India on the occasion of its 77th Republic Day, sharing a message on social media accompanied by a black-and-white photograph of himself with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“On behalf of the people of the United States, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the government and people of India as you celebrate your 77th Republic Day,” Trump said in a post on X. He also described India and the United States as the world’s oldest and largest democracies, underlining the historic bond shared by the two nations.
The message was shared by the US Embassy in India at 2.14 pm, shortly after the Republic Day parade concluded at Kartavya Path in New Delhi. Trump’s greeting came despite recent strains in bilateral ties, particularly over Washington’s decision to impose steep tariffs on Indian goods.
This year’s Republic Day celebrations saw the presence of top European leaders as chief guests. Prime Minister Modi said India was privileged to host European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, noting that their visit highlighted the growing strength of the India-European Union partnership and a shared commitment to democratic values. He added that the visit would further deepen cooperation across sectors, amid expectations of a major free trade agreement between India and the EU.
India-US ties have seen closer defence cooperation in recent years, with American military platforms increasingly featuring in India’s arsenal. US-origin aircraft such as the C-130J transport planes and Apache attack helicopters participated in the Republic Day flypast.
However, trade relations have faced headwinds after Trump announced tariffs of up to 50 per cent on Indian goods, including a 25 per cent punitive levy linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil. While several rounds of negotiations were held last year to finalise a bilateral trade deal, talks have remained inconclusive, largely due to US demands for greater access to India’s farm and dairy sectors.
Relations have also been tested by differences over other issues, including Trump’s claim of having ended the India-Pakistan conflict following Operation Sindoor last year and Washington’s revised immigration policies.