Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday received a phone call from US President Donald Trump, during which the two leaders reviewed bilateral ties and the situation in West Asia.PM Modi said in a post on X, “Received a call from my friend President Donald Trump. We reviewed the substantial progress achieved in our bilateral cooperation in various sectors. We are committed to further strengthening our Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership in all areas. We also discussed the situation in West Asia and stressed the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and secure”.During the 40-minute call, they also discussed the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, after Trump ordered a blockade of ships entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas in the Gulf on Sunday following the failure of peace talks over the weekend. He also warned that any Iranian attack boats challenging the blockade would be destroyed.The call concluded with Trump telling PM Modi, “I just want you to know we all love you”, according to the US ambassador to India Sergio Gor.This was the third phone call between the two leaders this year and the first after the recent peace talks between Iran and the US. Earlier, they spoke on February 2 to announce progress in a trade deal and then on March 24 to discuss the situation in West Asia.
