Modi, Trump stress on keeping Hormuz open

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday received a call from US President Donald Trump with both leaders discussing the current situation in West Asia as well as ways to further strengthen the bilateral partnership.

“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,” PM Modi posted on X after the phone call.

“We also discussed the situation in West Asia and stressed the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and secure,” he wrote further.

Having continuously advocated de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy to bring an early end to the ongoing conflict, India has welcomed the ceasefire reached between the United States and Iran while hoping that it will lead to a lasting peace in West Asia.

New Delhi believes that the conflict has already caused immense suffering to people and disrupted global energy supply and trade networks. At the same time, India has said that it expects that unimpeded freedom of navigation and global flow of commerce would prevail through the Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier this month, US Ambassador Sergio Gor had outlined that Washington is positioning India at the centre of its long-term global strategy.

Gor said that the US is working to deepen its engagement with New Delhi, aiming to transform the bilateral relationship into what he described as the defining strategic partnership of the 21st century.

In an interview to Span magazine, Gor emphasised that his approach is shaped by his experience under US President Donald Trump, highlighting a results-oriented style of diplomacy. “President Trump is the hardest working man in politics. He moves fast and demands results,” he said, adding that his focus remains on delivering “something tangible and positive for the American people.” He also underscored the importance of leadership-level ties, noting that “President Trump considers Prime Minister Modi a true friend,” a relationship he said strengthens the broader partnership between the two countries.

Defence cooperation remains the most significant pillar of the relationship, according to the envoy. He pointed to the ongoing Major Defence Partnership and a new 10-year framework that expands collaboration in defence industrial production, science and technology, and operational coordination.

Delhi Chief Minister Rakha Gupta virtually joined the inauguration ceremony of the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor held in Uttarakhand on Tuesday and hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s infrastructure push aimed at benefiting the National Capital, an official said.

Soon after PM Modi dedicated the corridor to the nation at an event in Dehradun, the Delhi Chief Minister thanked him for spearheading multiple projects aligned with the city’s growing needs.

Describing the occasion as special and auspicious, the Chief Minister said the expressway built at a cost of around Rs 12,000 crore would mark a significant milestone in Delhi’s development and give fresh momentum to the vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat.’ Gupta, who was joined by Cabinet Ministers and Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva at the event, said Delhi’s transformation under the Prime Minister’s leadership is visible in the rapid expansion of infrastructure.

She noted that projects worth nearly Rs 1.25 lakh crore are currently underway in the capital under the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, reshaping the city’s urban landscape.

Highlighting the broader significance of the new expressway, the Chief Minister said it is not merely a road project but a vital link that connects Delhi’s modern infrastructure with the spiritual ethos of Uttarakhand, often referred to as ‘Devbhoomi’.

“It is a true confluence of development and faith,” she said.

The expressway is expected to reduce travel time between Delhi and Dehradun from around 6-7 hours to 2.5 hours, bringing relief to commuters and boosting tourism and economic activity.

Gupta pointed out that India’s expressway and high-speed corridor network has expanded to over 3,000 km, while the national highway network has grown from about 51,000 km to nearly 1,46,000 km since 2014, an indicator of the country’s accelerated infrastructure growth.

Indo-Asian News Service