‘Historic Bond’: US President Donald Trump Sends Warm 77th Republic Day Greetings to India

New Delhi: United States President Donald Trump extended warm greetings to India on the occasion of its 77th Republic Day. His message was shared by the US Embassy in New Delhi.

Wishing the people of India, Trump said:

“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.”

He also spoke about the long relationship between the two nations and added: 

“The United States and India share a historic bond as the world’s oldest and largest democracies.”

His message came at a time when relations between India and the US have seen both cooperation and challenges.

Rubio Highlights Growing Cooperation

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also sent greetings to India and spoke about the strong partnership between the two countries. He said that India and the US are working closely in many important areas, including defence, energy, critical minerals, and new technologies.

“From our close cooperation on defence, energy, critical minerals, and emerging technologies to our multi-layered engagement through the Quad, the US-India relationship delivers real results for our two countries and for the Indo-Pacific region,” Rubio said.

He further added:

“I look forward to working together to advance our shared objectives in the year ahead.”

US Ambassador Attends Republic Day Parade

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor attended the Republic Day celebrations at Kartavya Path for the first time.

Sharing his experience, he said:

“Happy Republic Day, India! Honoured to attend the Republic Day Parade for the first time, a celebration of India’s Constitution and democratic spirit.”

He also spoke about the presence of American-made aircraft during the parade and said:

“Thrilled to see the US-made aircraft soaring in the Indian sky, a powerful symbol of the strength of the US-India strategic partnership.”

During the parade, US-origin C-130J transport aircraft and Apache helicopters took part in the aerial display.

Trade and Tariff Issues Continue

Leaders greeted each other, but trade concerns have strained ties between the two nations. High tariffs, up to 50%, were levied on Indian goods by the Trump administration. This includes a 25% fine connected to India's acquisition of Russian oil.

These actions impacted trade between the two countries and sparked heated protests in India.

In order to come to a bilateral trade deal, both parties engaged in multiple rounds of negotiations last year. But no deal was finalized. The US's quest for greater access to India's dairy and farm markets was a significant contributing factor.

Other Differences Affect Relations

Apart from trade, ties have also been impacted by other issues.

These include Trump's assertion that he contributed to the settlement of the India-Pakistan dispute in May of last year and modifications to US immigration laws that affected talented Indian laborers. Despite the fact that both nations continue to collaborate extensively on defense and strategic issues, diplomatic sources indicated that these disagreements have made it challenging to completely restore relations.