By Nandita Bose, Trevor Hunnicutt and David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) -India and the U.S. agreed on Thursday to start talks to clinch an early trade deal and resolve their standoff over tariffs as New Delhi promised to buy more U.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the United States President Donald Trump have spoken about easing tariffs and resolving trade concerns between the two countries, while also shoring up defense ties.

Trump has stopped U.S. engagement with the U.N. Human Rights Council and his plan to take over Gaza is called a proposal of ethnic cleansing by rights experts. He has also dismantled U.S. diversity, equity and inclusion programs aimed at uplifting marginalized groups.

Washington and New Delhi have agreed to a framework to deepen their economic, energy and defense relationship, U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Thursday evening.

President Trump greeted the Indian Prime Minister at the White House with a bear hug and called him “a great friend of mine.”

U.S. President Donald Trump and India's Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed issues ranging from weapons sales to trade when they met in Washington on Thursday but in public remarks avoided the sensitive subjects of human rights and minority abuses.

The partnership is a pillar of Washington’s strategy in the Indo-Pacific region but faces challenges on issues including illegal immigration, visas and trade deficits.

US President Trump has announced a deal with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Delhi to import more US oil and gas to shrink the trade deficit between the two countries. "They're going to be purchasing a lot of our oil and gas. They need it. And we have it," Trump said at a joint news briefing in Washington.