India dismisses NATO chief’s remarks as ‘factually incorrect and baseless’

New Delhi: India on Friday rejected comments by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte about Prime Minister Narendra Modi allegedly speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding US tariffs, calling the claim “factually incorrect” and “entirely baseless”.

“We have seen the statement by NATO Secretary-General Mr. Mark Rutte regarding a purported phone conversation between Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin of Russia. This 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,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a weekly media briefing.

Jaiswal added, “We expect the leadership of an important and esteemed institution like NATO to exercise greater responsibility and accuracy in public statements. Speculative or careless remarks that misrepresent the Prime Minister’s engagements or suggest conversations that never occurred are unacceptable.”

Rutte, in an interview with CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, claimed that US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose 50 per cent tariffs on India over Russian oil imports had prompted Modi to call Putin for clarity on his Ukraine strategy.

“This (tariff) immediately impacts Russia because that means Delhi is now on the phone with Vladimir Putin in Moscow, and Narendra Modi is asking him, 'I support you, but could you explain to me your strategy because I have now been hit by these 50 per cent tariffs by the United States,’” Rutte was quoted as saying.

Dismissing the assertion, the MEA reiterated that India’s energy policy is guided by its national interest. “India's energy imports are meant to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs to the Indian consumer. India will continue taking all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security,” Jaiswal said.

India has previously warned against what it described as NATO’s “double standards” over trade with Russia. In July, responding to Rutte’s comments in Washington suggesting that India, China and Brazil could face sanctions for continuing business with Moscow, the MEA had underlined that securing energy needs was a priority and would remain guided by availability in global markets and prevailing circumstances.