Washington/New Delhi | Aug 26, 2025
Reports in German and Japanese media have stirred fresh debate over India-U.S. ties, claiming Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently ignored four phone calls from U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Nikkei Asia, Trump was left frustrated after Modi did not respond to repeated calls amid growing trade tensions between the two nations. Indian diplomats, however, dismissed any suggestion of a snub, insisting that Modi does not conduct sensitive negotiations over the phone.
India’s Explanation
A senior Indian diplomat told The Times of India that Modi avoids discussing complex international issues on phone calls. “That is not the Prime Minister’s working style. He does not strike deals over the phone,” the official said. Sources also suggested that Modi deliberately avoided Trump’s calls to prevent the risk of the U.S. president misrepresenting the conversations.
India has previously accused Trump of twisting discussions during the India-Pakistan standoff, when Trump repeatedly claimed he had mediated to prevent a “nuclear war.”
U.S. Response and Trump’s Claims
U.S. officials declined to confirm whether Trump actually made the calls. Meanwhile, Trump has continued to tout himself as a peace broker between India and Pakistan, although his versions of events particularly timelines and the number of fighter jets downed have changed with each retelling. Washington based analysts described his claims as exaggerated attempts to project himself as a global dealmaker.
G20 Summit and the White House Invite
The strains deepened after Modi rejected a last-minute White House invitation following the G20 Summit in Canada. The invitation controversially included Pakistan’s Army Chief, Gen. Asim Munir, as part of what Trump called a “peace dialogue.” New Delhi strongly criticized the move, calling it “deeply objectionable” to equate terror victim India with terror sponsoring Pakistan.
India’s Frustration With U.S. Policy
Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton noted that frustration with Washington runs deep in New Delhi. Indian officials believe the U.S. repeatedly pressures India with tariff threats and sanctions, while Russia and China face less harsh treatment. This has led Modi’s government to keep Trump at arm’s length on sensitive matters, wary of being boxed into America’s transactional approach.
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