Foreign Ministry rejects NATO chief’s claim on Modi-Putin call as ‘false and baseless’

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu) - India on Friday reacted strongly to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's remarks that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the issue of US-imposed tariffs. India termed the statement as "factually incorrect" and "completely baseless."

"We have seen the statement by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on the phone conversation between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. This statement is factually incorrect and completely baseless. At no time did Prime Minister Modi speak to President Putin as is being reported. No such conversation took place," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Friday.

He added, "We expect the leadership of an important and prestigious organization like NATO to exercise greater responsibility and accuracy in public statements. Speculative or careless comments that misrepresent the Prime Minister's schedule or suggest discussions that never took place are unacceptable."

Speaking to CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly summit in New York, Rutte claimed that US President Donald Trump's tariffs on Russian oil imports from India were having a profound impact on Moscow. The former Dutch prime minister said Prime Minister Modi had contacted Putin to seek clarity on his Ukraine strategy amid the US move to impose 50 percent tariffs on India.

“This (tariff) had an immediate impact on Russia, because it means Delhi is now on the phone with Vladimir Putin in Moscow, and Narendra Modi is asking him, ‘I would support you, but could you explain your strategy to me, because now I am also affected by these 50 percent tariffs imposed by the US?'” Rutte told Amanpour.

The Ministry of External Affairs criticized the NATO chief's comments, reiterating that India will continue to make independent decisions on energy matters. Jaiswal said, "As stated earlier, India's energy imports are aimed at ensuring predictable and affordable energy costs for Indian consumers. India will continue to take all necessary measures to protect its national interests and economic security." India has previously warned the NATO chief against any "double standards" in imposing sanctions on countries trading with Russia. In July, Rutte, during his visit to Washington, said that China, India, and Brazil could face tough economic sanctions if they continued to trade with Russia.

"We have seen reports on this subject and are closely monitoring developments," Jaiswal said at a regular media briefing on July 17. "I would like to reiterate that meeting the energy needs of our people is our top priority. In this endeavor, we are guided by the resources available in the market and the prevailing global situation. We particularly caution against any double standards in this matter."