Amid the continued strain in bilateral ties between India and the US over a wide range of issues, including tariffs, US President Donald Trump extended warm greetings to India on its 77th Republic Day celebrations on Monday, evoking the "historic bond" shared between the two countries.
"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," the US president said, in a message that was put out on social media by the US embassy in New Delhi.
"The United States and India share a historic bond as the world's oldest and largest democracies," the message from the US President further said.
Echoing the sentiment, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also extended greetings to India on the occasion, saying the two nations share a "historic bond".
"From our close cooperation on defense, 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," he said.
"I look forward to working together to advance our shared objectives in the year ahead," Rubio said in a statement.
The India-US ties witnessed a major downturn after President Trump slapped a 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, including a 25 per cent punitive levy over Russian oil purchases.
Both sides held multiple rounds of negotiations last year to firm up the proposed bilateral trade deal. However, it could not be sealed yet, largely in view of Washington's demands to open up India's farm and dairy sectors.
Apart from the tariff issue, the relations came under strain on a number of other issues that included Trump's claim of ending the India-Pakistan conflict in May last year and Washington's new immigration policy.