Incorrect, baseless: India dismisses Nato chief's claim on Modi-Putin call

The MEA dismissed Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte's claim that PM Modi had called Putin to discuss its Ukraine strategy after being hit by US tariffs over purchase of Russian crude

India on Friday dismissed claims made by North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) Secretary-General Mark Rutte regarding a purported phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin as "factually incorrect and entirely baseless".

 

The development comes hours after Rutte, in an interview with CNN, supported US-imposed tariffs on India for purchasing Russian oil, saying they are having a 'big impact' on Russia and that New Delhi is in contact with Putin.

 

"Narendra Modi is asking him to explain his strategy on Ukraine because India is being hit with tariffs," Rutte claimed. US President Donald Trump has imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, half of it as penalty for buying Russian crude oil. 

 

Responding to the claim during the weekly briefing, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "This statement is factually incorrect and entirely baseless. At no point has PM Modi spoken with President Putin in the manner suggested. No such conversation has taken place".

 

He added: "We expect the leadership of an important and esteemed institution like Nato to exercise greater responsibility and accuracy in public statements. Speculative or careless remarks that misrepresent the PM's engagement or suggest conversations that never occurred are unacceptable. As previously stated, India's energy imports are meant to ensure a predictable and affordable energy cost to the Indian consumer. India will continue taking all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security." 

 

Washington has repeatedly claimed that India's oil purchases help Moscow fuel its war in Ukraine. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and President Trump's trade adviser Peter Navarro have both gone on the warpath against India's purchase of discounted Russian crude, claiming it was responsible for helping Moscow fund its war against Ukraine. Navarro went so far as to label the conflict as "Modi's war" and that "the road to peace in Ukraine runs through New Delhi". India has consistently denied the allegations, asserting that its Russian oil purchases are essential for its energy security, and were previously supported by the US administration as a way to keep global oil prices in check.