New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly refused to take calls from US President Donald Trump four times in recent weeks, according to a report by a German newspaper, Hindustan Times reported. The alleged snub comes amid escalating tensions between India and the United States over tariffs. Trump’s additional 25 per cent tariff on India have officially taken force, doubling duties on Indian imports to 50 per cent from Wednesday, August 27. This comes after weeks of negotiations that have failed to yield favourable results for New Delhi, which has hit out at the US administration for the “unjustified” levies.
The report, which has not been independently verified by Indian authorities, suggests that Modi avoided Trump’s repeated attempts to establish contact as trade issues between the two countries intensified.
The German publication claimed the missed calls indicate a widening gap in diplomatic engagement between the two leaders at a critical time. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (F.A.Z.) alleged that Modi remained frustrated and wary about discussions due to increasing pressure regarding tariffs.
Earlier, Modi had a 35-minute phone conversation with Trump on June 18 during which he firmly rejected Trump’s assertion that Washington had helped broker a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after Operation Sindoor. According to Hindustan Times, Modi told Trump that India never accepted third-party mediation and that the ceasefire was agreed upon by the Directors General of Military Operations of both countries, after Pakistan requested it.
During the same conversation, Trump had invited Modi to stop over in the United States on his way back from Canada. Modi declined the offer citing prior commitments and instead invited Trump to attend the upcoming Quad Summit in India.
The latest revelation, if accurate, points to a significant cooling in ties as both nations navigate sensitive trade and security issues. Neither the Prime Minister’s Office nor US officials have issued a formal statement regarding the German media report.
