Modi refused Trump's calls 4 times in recent weeks: German newspaper

US President Donald Trump made at least four attempts to talk to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone in recent weeks, but the Indian leader refused to talk to him, according to German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine. The Mainz-based newspaper of record suggests this to be the result of the "depth of his [Modi's] anger, but also his caution".

The attempts by President Trump to talk to PM Modi came even as his administration hit India with 50% tariffs, the highest for any country other than Brazil.

"FAZ claims that Trump tried to call Modi four times in recent weeks but that Modi refused the calls," posted Thorsten Benner, Co-Founder and Director of the Berlin-based Global Public Policy Institute, on X, sharing a copy of the newspaper report.

FAZ stands for Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Zeitung means newspaper in German.

FAZ noted the signs that "Modi was offended".

It also noted that while Trump’s approach typically allowed him to capitalise on other countries' dependence on the US market. But Modi "resisted this", maintaining a cooperative relationship with Trump during his first term without compromising India’s economic interests.

FAZ noted that the surprising element of this situation was Trump's repeated attempts to persuade Modi to yield.

"The fact that the Indian leader continues to refuse talks shows both the depth of his anger and his caution," the report by the German newspaper stated.

FAZ then went on to explain the reason behind the caution.

Trump had previously renegotiated a trade pact between the US and Vietnam, which had been painstakingly arranged by delegations, during a single phone call with General Secretary To Lam.

Without reaching an agreement, Trump announced on social media that a trade deal had been struck. "Modi doesn’t want to fall into the same trap," FAZ said.

"America's strategy isn't working," says Mark Frazier. "The American concept of an 'Indo-Pacific' alignment, in which India would play a central role in the US's containment of China, is collapsing." According to Frazier, co-director of the India-China Institute at the New School in New York, India never intended to commit to siding with the US against China.

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