President Donald Trump celebrated Diwali at the White House on Tuesday, lighting a traditional diya lamp and extending warm greetings to the Indian community. During the event, Trump announced he spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Their conversation focused mainly on trade, with Trump stating Modi showed great interest in new deals between their countries.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]} The President also claimed Modi assured him India would limit its purchases of Russian oil.^{[1][7][8][9][10][11][6]} White House Diwali Tradition Continues The Diwali celebration took place in the Oval Office and Roosevelt Room, marking the Hindu festival of lights. President Trump personally lit a diya, a symbolic oil lamp. He described the act as a representation of "faith in the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil."^{[1][12][4][5]} The flame, he noted, serves as a reminder to seek wisdom and give thanks for blessings.^[1][12] Diwali, a significant festival for Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and some Buddhists, symbolizes the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.^[13] The White House has observed Diwali since 2003, when President George W. Bush initiated the tradition.^[14][15][16] Karl Rove, his chief political advisor, presided over the first event.^[14][15] President Barack Obama later became the first president to personally light a diya at the White House in 2009.^[14][16] He also lit a diya in the Oval Office in 2016, setting a precedent.^[14] President Trump continued this tradition throughout his presidency, including a celebration in 2017 with his daughter Ivanka and Indian-American administration members.^[14] Although the formal celebration was disrupted in 2018 due to midterm elections, the spirit of Diwali continued to be honored.^[14] The recent White House ceremony saw many senior officials in attendance, reflecting the growing engagement of the Indian diaspora in US-India relations.^[12][17] Among those present were FBI Director Kash Patel, ODNI Director Tulsi Gabbard, and White House Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai.^[12][4][17] Indian Ambassador to the U.S. Vinay Mohan Kwatra and U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor also attended.^[12][4][17] A delegation of Indian-American business leaders joined the festivities.^[12][4] Trade and Friendship with PM Modi President Trump praised Prime Minister Modi as a "great person" and a "great friend" during the Diwali event.^{[1][7][12][3][17][5]} Trump told reporters he had a "great conversation" with Modi earlier that day.^{[2][3][4][5][6]} He emphasized that trade was a primary topic of their discussion.^{[1][2][3][4][9][5][11][18][6]} "I love the people of India. We're working on some great deals between our countries," Trump said.^[1][6] He added, "I spoke to Prime Minister Modi today and we just have a very good relationship."^[1][6] Prime Minister Modi acknowledged the phone call from President Trump on Wednesday. He thanked the US President for his warm Diwali greetings in a post on X, formerly Twitter.^{[19][7][8][12][4][17][18][20]} Modi wrote, "On this festival of lights, may our two great democracies continue to illuminate the world with hope and stand united against terrorism in all its forms."^{[19][7][8][12][4][17][18][20]} However, Modi's public statement did not specifically detail the discussions on trade or Pakistan.^[12][18] US-India Economic Ties Under Scrutiny The conversation between the two leaders occurred amid ongoing trade negotiations and significant economic tensions. The United States recently imposed 50% tariffs on Indian imports.^{[1][2][11][18][6][20]} These tariffs were partly a response to India's continued purchases of Russian oil.^{[1][7][2][11][18][6][20]} India has emerged as a major buyer of discounted Russian crude oil since 2022, despite Western sanctions.^{[7][8][9][10][11]} President Trump has consistently pressured India to reduce its Russian oil imports. He suggested that a broader trade deal between the two nations could depend on India's willingness to scale back these purchases.^[11] Reports indicate that the US and India are close to finalizing a long-delayed trade agreement.^[11] This potential deal could significantly lower US tariffs on Indian goods from the current 50% to around 15-16%.^[11] The agreement is expected to be finalized at the ASEAN Summit later this month and may include provisions for India to gradually cut back on Russian oil.^[11] Broader Diplomatic Engagements Beyond trade, President Trump also claimed he used trade as a factor to broker a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in May. "Although we (him and Modi) did talk a little while ago about let's have no wars with Pakistan. The fact that trade was involved, I was able to talk about that. And we have no war with Pakistan and India. That was a very, very good thing," Trump said.^{[1][8][2][12][5][6]} However, India has maintained that the cessation of hostilities with Pakistan in May resulted from direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations of the two countries.^[6] Prime Minister Modi's message on Diwali highlighted the importance of India and the US standing united against terrorism.^{[19][7][8][12][4][17][18][20]} This underscores a shared commitment to global security. The ongoing dialogue between the two leaders, even amidst trade disagreements, shows the complex and crucial nature of the US-India relationship. The Diwali celebration at the White House serves as a significant cultural recognition of the Indian-American community and a platform for diplomatic discussions. It reinforces the cultural ties while also addressing critical economic and strategic issues between the two democracies. The future of US-India trade relations and India's energy policy remain key topics of ongoing dialogue.