PM Modi Avoided 4 Calls From Trump Amid Tariff Tension: Report

Prime Minister Narendra Modi refused to take four calls from American President Donald Trump in recent weeks, against the backdrop of the tariff row, German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) has reported, citing sources. The report suggests that this was the result of the "depth of his [Modi's] anger, but also his caution".

A Japanese newspaper, Nikkei Asia, has made similar claims, saying Prime Minister Modi was avoiding Trump's calls, "heightening Trump's frustration."

The Tariff Threat

Ties between New Delhi and Washington have been tense after President Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a staggering 50 per cent, the highest for any country other than Brazil. This includes a 25 per cent additional duty for India's purchase of Russian crude oil.

India has asserted that it is prepared to stand firm against US pressure, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowing he would "never compromise" the interests of the country's farmers.

The German publication has reported that the US-India trade clash illustrates that New Delhi will not bow to Washington's pressure. "There are signs indicating that Modi felt insulted," FAZ reports, adding that PM Modi's unwillingness to talk to Trump demonstrates the extent to which the premier is irritated by the US president's actions.

Pakistan's Role

The newspaper also noted that Trump's image in Indian perception has considerably changed, particularly due to his statements about plans to boost relations with Pakistan.

Since May, Trump has repeatedly said that it was his mediation that stopped fighting between India and Pakistan, a claim India denies. The US leader's "showy, deal-driven style of diplomacy" has become another point of strain in the two nations' ties, the
Japanese report said.

China Plans

Talking to FAZ, analyst Mark Frazier also claimed that America's idea of an Indo-Pacific alignment, where India plays a central role in containing China, "is falling apart".

India and the US have drawn closer over the past two decades in a strategic bid to counter China. But with Trump's punitive tariffs in play, the once-celebrated partnership is showing signs of unravelling-- a prospect that has been so far welcomed by both in Beijing and Moscow.

Co-director of the India-China Institute at the New School in New York, Frazier claimed New Delhi never intended to side with Washington against Beijing. He further claimed that New Delhi and Beijing share common interests in expanding influence within global institutions.

Moreover, Chinese investment and technology could boost the Indian industry, while New Delhi can play a key role in boosting Beijing's global economic and geopolitical position, according to Frazier.

"India's shift is strategic, not just a response to US tariffs. With the US retreating, India and China share interests in global influence and industrial growth," he said.

PM Modi is set to visit China at the end of August, officially attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. This will be the Prime Minister's first visit to China and is widely viewed as an attempt to ease tensions with Beijing while keeping a close eye on the unpredictable trajectory of US-China relations.