German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine has claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi refused to take at least four phone calls from US President Donald Trump in recent weeks. According to the newspaper, this could be due to the “depth of his [Modi’s] anger, but also his caution”.
Trump’s attempts to reach out to PM Modi came after the US imposed 50% tariffs on India, the highest duty for any country except Brazil. The Trump administration also penalised India for importing crude oil from Russia.
“FAZ claims that Trump tried to call Modi four times in recent weeks but that Modi refused the calls,” Thorsten Benner, Co-Founder and Director of the Berlin-based Global Public Policy Institute, posted on X while sharing a copy of the Mainz-based newspaper’s report.
FAZ is short for Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, with “Zeitung” meaning “newspaper” in German.
Trump said on July 31: “I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together.”
PM Modi hit back at Trump’s “dead economy” remark on August 10, saying India is on track to become one of the world’s top three economies.
Noting signs that “Modi was offended”, FAZ stated: “The fact that the Indian still refuses to talk demonstrates the depth of his anger, but also his caution.”
FAZ explained Modi’s caution, noting that he “doesn’t want to fall into the same trap.” The paper was referring to Trump’s earlier claim on social media that a trade deal had been struck, even though no agreement had been reached.
PM Modi And Trump’s Last Phone Call
PM Modi spoke to Trump on June 17 at the US president’s request. They were scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada, but Trump returned to the US earlier than planned, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
“After this, at the request of President Trump, both leaders spoke over a phone call today (July 17). The conversation lasted approximately 35 minutes,” the MEA said in the statement released on June 18.
“This was the first conversation between the two leaders since [the attack and Operation Sindoor],” the MEA said, adding, “Hence, Prime Minister Modi spoke in detail about Operation Sindoor with President Trump.”
“Prime Minister Modi clearly conveyed to President Trump that at no point during this entire sequence of events was there any discussion, at any level, on an India-US Trade Deal, or any proposal for a mediation by the US between India and Pakistan,” the MEA said of the June 17 call between the two leaders.
“The discussion to cease military action took place directly between India and Pakistan… and it was initiated at Pakistan’s request. Prime Minister Modi firmly stated that India does not and will never accept mediation. There is complete political consensus in India on this matter,” it stated.
