No phone call took place between PM Modi and Trump: MEA rejects US President’s claim

New Delhi: India on Thursday rejected claims made by the US President Donald Trump of having a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Trump on Wednesday had claimed that, during a telephonic conversation, PM Modi has “assured” him that India won’t be buying oil from Russia.

When asked whether there was a conversation between PM Modi and the US President, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded during a weekly media briefing: “Regarding the comment from the US on energy issue, we have already issued a statement, which you can refer to. As for the telephonic conversation, I can say that there has been no discussion between the Prime Minister and President Trump”.

During a press conference at the White House on Wednesday, Trump described PM Modi as a “great man” and India as “an incredible country”, adding that he is open to meeting the Prime Minister on the sidelines of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in Malaysia.

When asked about a potential meeting with the Prime Minister in Malaysia during a press conference at the White House, Trump said, “Yeah, sure, he’s a friend of mine. We have a great relationship.”

“He’s a great man. He loves Trump…I have watched India for years. It’s an incredible country, and every single year you’d have a new leader. I mean, some would be in there for a few months, and this was year after year after year. And my friend has been there now for a long time,” he added.

He even mentioned that PM Modi had “assured” that India won’t be buying oil from Russia. He said, “He assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia…You can’t do it immediately. It’s a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over with soon, and all we want from President Putin…is to stop this.”

He added that if India doesn’t buy Russian oil, it makes it “much easier” to end the conflict.

“Within a short period of time, they will not be buying oil from Russia, and they’ll go back to Russia after the war’s over,” he emphasised.

Trump also said that the new US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, who was present in the Oval Office, is going to do a “great job”.

“We have the new ambassador to India right here. They’re well represented. You better represent us, not them, okay? But Sergio is going to do a great job. He’s going to do a great job,” he noted.

Trump’s statements come as India’s trade negotiating team is already in Washington for the next round of talks with US officials. Trade talks between two nations resume in Washington days after Gor met PM Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in New Delhi.

IANS