No recent contact between PM Modi, President Trump: Sources

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NEW DELHI: There has been no contact between PM Modi and Donald Trump in recent time, the government sources told TOI in response to the US President's claim that they spoke on India-China border row. "The last conversation between them was on 4 April 2020 on the subject of hydroxychloroquine," sources said.

The ministry of external affairs on Wednesday had made it clear that India was directly in touch with China through established mechanisms and diplomatic contacts to resolve the border stand-off, the sources added.

Reiterating his offer to mediate on the border dispute between India and China, US President Donald Trump has said that he spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is not in a "good mood" over the "big conflict" between the two countries.

Interacting with journalists in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday, Trump said a "big conflict" was going on between India and China.

"They like me in India. I think they like me in India more than the media likes me in this country. And, I like Modi. I like your prime minister a lot. He is a great gentleman," he said.

"They have a big conflict …India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people (each). Two countries with very powerful militaries. India is not happy and probably China is not happy," the president said when asked if he was worried about the border situation between India and China.

"I can tell you; I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He is not in a good mood about what is going on with China," Trump said.

PM Modi not in 'good mood' over border row with China: Trump

A day earlier, the president offered to mediate between India and China.

Trump on Wednesday said in a tweet that he was "ready, willing and able to mediate" between the two countries.