Truce call triggered Modi-Trump fallout

Express Tribune

4 days ago

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A tense phone call between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump over a ceasefire between India and Pakistan has emerged as a key flashpoint in the dramatic collapse of ties between the two leaders, according to a report published by American financial publication Bloomberg.
The two leaders spoke during the June G7 summit in Canada, where Modi attended as a guest.
At Trump's request, the two held a 35-minute call, which Indian officials say, centred on Trump's insistence that Washington deserved credit for brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan following four-days of clashes in May.
Modi, according to the Indian account, rejected Trump's claims, asserting that the talks to cease military hostilities took place directly through military channels between New Delhi and Islamabad, and only at Pakistan's request. "India has not accepted mediation in the past and will never do so," Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters after the call.
Misri's claim was in sharp contrast with President Trump's insistence that he had brokered the truce between India and Pakistan. Islamabad has also repeatedly said that Modi approached the American leader with a request to play a role in cessation of hostilities between the two nuclear neighbours.
Tensions escalated sharply after the Indian leader learned that Trump planned to host Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, for a lunch at the White House the following day. According to officials briefed on the matter, that moment brought the diplomatic tension to a head.
Bloomberg reports that on June 17, Trump extended an invitation to Modi for a formal dinner at the White House. However, the Indian premier declined the invite, fearing that the meeting could be used to orchestrate a direct encounter with Field Marshal Munir.
The fallout quickly spilled into the public sphere. Within weeks, Trump imposed additional 25% tariffs on Indian exports, citing New Delhi's continued purchases of Russian oil as a core concern. With some duties now reaching as high as 50%, India is facing one of the steepest tariff barriers of any US trading partner. The tariffs are expected to take effect on August 17, unless a trade deal is reached in time.
Speaking at a press event this month, Trump described the Indian economy as "dead", slammed India's "obnoxious" trade barriers, and accused the country of showing little concern for Ukrainian casualties in its neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The breakdown in relations marks a stark reversal in a strategic partnership that has been nurtured for decades. Both countries have long viewed each other as critical democratic allies, particularly as a counterweight to growing Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific.
"The carefully crafted consensus of successive administrations has brought the two largest democracies together for almost three decades," said Eric Garcetti, who served as US Ambassador to India until January. "The administration's actions could endanger this progress if not brought to quick resolution. I hope cooler minds prevail in both capitals. There's too much at stake."
Since the contentious June call, Modi and Trump have reportedly not spoken again. India's Ministry of External Affairs did not respond to media requests for comment, while the White House also declined to clarify the US role in the India-Pakistan ceasefire or provide updates on bilateral relations.
Meanwhile, State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott, during a Thursday briefing, said Trump was "taking action to address concerns about trade imbalances and India's continued purchases of Russian oil."