Missed Call Alert: India–US Tensions Deepen as PM Modi Reportedly Snubs POTUS Trump Calls Amid Trade Dispute
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly declined four calls from US President Donald Trump in recent weeks as the two nations remain at loggerheads over a growing trade dispute, according to reports in German and Japanese media.
The claim, carried by Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and other global news outlets, comes just hours before the United States is set to impose sweeping 50% tariffs on Indian goods.
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| File Photo Source: NBC News on X |
US officials declined to say whether the calls were made, while a senior Indian diplomat suggested that Indian PM Modi generally avoids negotiating sensitive issues over the phone.
Analysts indicated the Indian leader may have been wary of having his remarks misrepresented -- something many in India have accused POTUS Trump of doing previously, including on India–Pakistan tensions.
The reports follow months of erratic statements from POTUS Trump, who has repeatedly claimed -- without evidence -- that he personally prevented a nuclear war between India and Pakistan, at times citing conflicting figures about jets lost and wars averted.
American analysts have increasingly described such claims as part of the US President’s quest for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Indian PM Modi also declined an unscheduled White House invitation after the G20 summit in Canada earlier this year, where the two leaders did not meet.
According to Indian sources, the proposal was linked to a simultaneous visit by Pakistan’s de facto military chief, General Asim Munir, in what New Delhi saw as an unacceptable equivalence between a victim of terrorism and a perpetrator.
The diplomatic chill coincides with a major flashpoint in economic ties.
From August 27, Washington will impose 50% duties on Indian imports, including an additional 25% levy targeting New Delhi’s purchases of discounted Russian crude oil.
The United States argues India is indirectly funding Moscow’s war in Ukraine; India has rejected the charge, saying its energy policy is dictated by affordability and national interest.
In Ahmedabad on Monday, Prime Minister Modi told a rally that his government would shield small entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, farmers, and livestock herders from external pressure.
“Your interests are paramount for Modi,” he said, framing the tariff dispute as part of a broader push for Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also took aim at Washington’s criticism, calling it “ironic” for a pro-business US administration to object to trade.
“If you don’t like Indian oil or refined products, don’t buy them. Nobody is forcing you. But Europe buys, America buys. If you have a problem, just stop buying,” he said in New Delhi.
Analysts warn the rift risks undermining what both governments have long described as the world’s most consequential partnership.
Former US officials have publicly noted that POTUS Trump’s personal frustrations may be driving ties “off the cliff” at a time when Washington fears India could move closer to Russia and China.
Despite ongoing cooperation in defence and technology, the tariff dispute and diplomatic snubs have cast a shadow over relations, leaving open questions about whether the two democracies can stabilize ties in the months ahead.