NEW DELHI – Ties between US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly deteriorated to point that Trump has no plans to attend Quad summit in India later this year.
A report shared by New York Times said tensions reportedly started after Trump claimed credit for brokering ceasefire between Pakistan and India, raising eyebrows in New Delhi. On June 17, Trump called Modi to express his satisfaction and mentioned that Pakistan intended to nominate him for the Nobel Prize.
Modi responded firmly, saying that ceasefire was direct agreement between two nuclear armed nations, with no US involvement.
Sources say that this disagreement, coupled with Modi’s cold reaction to Nobel nomination, hampered relations between two leaders, despite their previously close ties. The dispute also affected trade, with India reportedly moving closer to China and Russia amid risks.
Modi is expected to visit Beijing soon, where he will meet President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The report adds that while Trump initially invited Modi to the Quad summit, he now has no plans to travel to India.
In India, Trump’s image reportedly taken a hit, with right wing bodies political groups publicly criticising him. A recent puppet display in Maharashtra symbolically depicted a dagger in Trump’s back, and one Indian official described his behavior as “bullying and intimidation.”
According to the report, there has been no communication between Trump and Modi since June 17.
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