Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly declined multiple calls from former U.S. President Donald Trump during a turbulent phase in Indo-U.S. relations, according to a New York Times report. The claims echo a German newspaper’s earlier revelation that Trump had tried reaching Modi several times in recent weeks.
The Last Official Call
The final officially acknowledged conversation between Modi and Trump took place on June 17, 2018, when Trump left the G7 Summit in Canada abruptly. Their planned bilateral meeting at the sidelines was canceled. During the call, Trump asked Modi for a Washington stopover, but India declined as Modi was scheduled to visit Croatia instead.
Concerns Over Optics with Pakistan
Indian officials were reportedly uneasy that Trump might have sought to pair Modi with Pakistan’s Army chief Asim Munir, who had been invited to a White House lunch at the time. Such a photo-op would have undermined India’s position by equating it with Pakistan on U.S. soil—something New Delhi wished to avoid.
Rising Trade Friction
Diplomatic discomfort deepened after Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods and suspended ongoing trade negotiations, citing India’s reluctance to open its agriculture and dairy markets.
Why Modi Stayed Silent
According to senior officials, Modi’s team worried that Trump’s tendency to post unfiltered statements on Truth Social could undermine confidential discussions or distort agreements. With a fragile trade deal at stake, New Delhi chose caution and did not entertain Trump’s calls.
Despite claims that Trump reached out “several times,” the White House denied such attempts. Still, the NYT report indicates that India’s silence reflected deeper concerns about trust, optics, and diplomacy.
