Rubbishing NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s claim that, after US President Donald Trump imposed a penalty on India for buying Russian oil, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to “explain his strategy” on Ukraine, the Ministry of External Affairs has termed it “entirely baseless”.
In a statement on Friday, the ministry also said it expects the leadership of NATO to be more responsible while making such statements and emphasised that speculative remarks about “conversations that never occurred” are “unacceptable”.
“We have seen the statement by NATO Secretary-General Mr Mark Rutte regarding a purported phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin. The statement is factually incorrect and entirely baseless. At no point has Prime Minister Modi spoken with President Putin in the manner suggested. No such conversation has taken place,” the ministry said in the statement.
“We expect the leadership of an important institution like NATO to exercise greater responsibility and accuracy in public statements. Speculative or careless remarks that misrepresent the Prime Minister’s engagements or suggest conversations that never occurred are unacceptable,” it added.
The Ministry of External Affairs also reiterated India’s stand that its energy import decisions are made keeping national interests and economic security in mind.
“As previously stated, India’s energy imports are meant to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs to the Indian consumer. India will continue taking all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security,” it said.
Speaking to CNN on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session in New York, Mr Rutte, who had earlier called Mr Trump “daddy”, had claimed the US president’s 50% tariffs on India – including a 25% penalty for buying Russian oil – were having a “big impact” on Moscow.
“This (tariff) immediately impacts Russia because that means Delhi is now on the phone with Vladimir Putin in Moscow, and Narendra Modi is asking him, ‘I support you, but could you explain your strategy to me because I have now been hit by these 50% tariffs by the United States’,” he said.
India-US Talks
Mr Rutte’s comments, and India’s dismissal of them, come amid a perceived thaw in India-US ties after the tensions that followed the imposition of the tariffs. Mr Trump had called PM Modi to wish him on his 75th birthday earlier this month and had also thanked him for his efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which some of his aides had earlier accused India of “funding” through its purchase of energy from Russia.
PM Modi had responded by saying he is committed to taking the India-US partnership to new heights and also commended Mr Trump’s efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict.
A delegation led by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal also held talks on trade with US officials in New York earlier this week, which followed discussions between the two sides in New Delhi on a bilateral trade agreement.