MEA terms NATO Sec's remarks on Modi-Putin talks as 'incorrect & baseless'

Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday clarified that NATO Secretary Rutte's remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's conversation with Russian President Putin are factually 'incorrect and baseless'.

MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified that PM Modi has not spoken to Putin in the manner suggested. Further, no such conversation has taken place.

"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," Jaiswal said.


Speaking about Trump's sanctions on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, he said, 'I am talking about Russia. This immediately impacts Russia because that means that Delhi is now on the phone with Vladimir, Vladimir with Putin in Moscow and Narendra Modi asking, hey, I support you, but again, could you explain to me this strategy? Because I have now been hit by, by these 50% tariffs by the US. So President Trump is implementing what he says, but of course, we are not happy that so far we have not been able collectively to end the war."

"At no point has Prime Minister Modi spoken with President Putin in the manner suggested. No such conversation has taken place," Jaiswal clarified.

India expects the leadership of an important institution like NATO to exercise greater responsibility and accuracy in public statements, Jaiswal said. "Speculative or careless remarks that misrepresent the Prime Minister’s engagements or suggest conversations that never occurred are unacceptable."