India says trade discussions with US 'positive,' 'forward looking'

Trade discussions between Indian and US officials on Tuesday were "positive" and "forward-looking", New Delhi said, after President Donald Trump struck a more conciliatory tone following punitive tariffs on India over its Russian oil purchases. Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said they spoke by phone on Tuesday to mark the latter's 75th birthday, which falls on Wednesday, and Trump said he thanked Modi for his help in ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, but gave no details. A US delegation led by Brendan Lynch, assistant US trade representative for South and Central Asia, met Indian trade officials headed by Chief Negotiator Rajesh Agrawal in New Delhi. "It was decided to intensify efforts to achieve early conclusion of...