Following a decisive 30-minute phone call between the two leaders on February 2, 2026, the United States has officially reduced its reciprocal tariff rate on India from 25&#37 to 18&#37, effective immediately. This move effectively scraps the 25&#37 "punitive duty" previously linked to India’s Russian oil purchases, signaling a major de-escalation in trade tensions. However, the deal comes with explosive claims from the White House. President Trump stated on Truth Social that PM Modi has agreed to HALT all future purchases of Russian oil, pivoting instead toward US and potentially Venezuelan energy. While PM Modi hailed the tariff cut as a victory for "Made in India," the Indian side has yet to explicitly confirm the Russian oil exit or the staggering $500 Billion purchase commitment claimed by Washington.

In what Ukrainian authorities are calling an act of "terror against civilians," Russia launched a sustained, hour-long barrage of ballistic missiles and attack drones overnight on February 2-3, 2026. The strikes specifically targeted energy facilities east of the Dnipro River, leaving 1,170 buildings in Kyiv without heat.