NEW DELHI, Aug. 27 — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly declined to take at least four calls from U.S. President Donald Trump in recent weeks, a German newspaper claimed, signaling strains in the bilateral relationship at a time of escalating trade disputes.
The report, published by Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), said Modi’s refusal reflected “the depth of his anger, but also his caution.” Thorsten Benner, co-founder of the Berlin-based Global Public Policy Institute, highlighted the claim in a post on X on Tuesday, sharing an image of the article.
The allegations surfaced a day before Washington imposed 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods. Half of the duties were described as punitive measures against India’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil, while the remainder stemmed from stalled trade talks over New Delhi’s reluctance to open its agriculture and dairy markets to U.S. imports.
According to FAZ, Trump’s negotiating style has often relied on exploiting other nations’ dependence on the U.S. economy. Modi, however, “resisted this” during Trump’s first term, maintaining a working relationship without conceding ground on India’s core economic interests. The paper said the unusual aspect now was Trump’s repeated outreach, contrasted with Modi’s silence.
“The fact that the Indian (Modi) still refuses to talk demonstrates the depth of his anger, but also his caution,” FAZ wrote, adding that Modi was wary of Trump’s unpredictable deal-making style. The report pointed to Trump’s handling of a trade pact with Vietnam, where after months of talks at the official level, Trump reportedly finalized new terms in a single phone call and announced a deal on social media. “Modi doesn’t want to fall into the same trap,” FAZ said.
The German daily also cited factors beyond trade. It noted that Trump’s real estate ventures near New Delhi — luxury towers under the Trump brand, where apartments priced up to 12 million euros sold out in one day this May — had stirred controversy in India.
Diplomatic sensitivities further deepened after Trump publicly claimed he had secured a ceasefire during the India-Pakistan military standoff. The Indian side, according to FAZ, viewed the claim with resentment. Tensions sharpened when Trump suggested Pakistan could develop oil reserves that India would then buy, and when he hosted Pakistan’s army chief, Gen. Asim Munir, for a working dinner at the White House.
Despite the reported snub, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that Modi and Trump have spoken recently. In a statement issued June 18, the ministry said Modi spoke with Trump at the president’s request on June 17, and the two also held a 35-minute phone conversation on July 17. “This was the first conversation between the two leaders since the recent attack and Operation Sindoor,” the MEA noted, adding that Modi briefed Trump extensively on the operation.
The two leaders were also scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada, though Trump returned to Washington earlier than planned.
