Analysts say that Rutte wasn’t actually reporting a real phone call, he was making a rhetorical point about how Trump’s tariff policy could pressure Russia indirectly but the way he phrased it—almost as if a conversation had actually taken place—made it sound factual, which is why India called it “baseless and unacceptable,” and reacted so sharply.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday strongly rejected NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s remarks suggesting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin over a Ukraine-related plan. The MEA called the claim “incorrect, baseless and unacceptable.”
Rutte had stated that PM Modi asked Putin to explain his Ukraine strategy “because India is being hit with tariffs.” In a sharp rebuttal, the MEA clarified that no such conversation ever took place.
“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 MEA said.
India warns
The MEA underscored that the leadership of an institution as significant as NATO was expected to exercise greater care in public statements. “Speculative or careless remarks that misrepresent the Prime Minister’s engagements or suggest conversations that never occurred are unacceptable,” the ministry added.
Energy security priority
Reiterating India’s stance on energy imports, the MEA said New Delhi’s decisions are driven by the need to ensure affordability and predictability for its citizens. “India will continue taking all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security,” it stressed.
What Rutte said
In an interview on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Rutte reportedly said: “Trump’s tariffs on India are having a big impact on Russia. Delhi is on the phone with Putin, and Narendra Modi is asking him to explain his strategy on Ukraine because India is being hit with tariffs.”
Analysts say Rutte wasn’t actually reporting a real phone call, he was making a rhetorical point about how Trump’s tariff policy could pressure Russia indirectly but the way he phrased it—almost as if a conversation had actually taken place—made it sound factual, which is why India called it “baseless and unacceptable,” and reacted so sharply.
