'No conversation between PM Modi, Trump on India-China standoff,' say govt officials

India-China border tension: US President Donald Trump had said that he spoke with PM Modi about the conflict and said that the Prime Minister was not in a good mood

Hours after US President Donald Trump said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not in a "good mood" regarding the India-China standoff in Ladakh, government sources have said the two leaders did not have any conversation on the issue. The last conversation between the two leaders took place on April 4.

According to a report in news agency PTI, government sources on Friday said there has been no recent contact between Modi and Trump. The last conversation that took place on April 4 revolved around hydroxychloroquine, the sources said.

Also read: India-China issue: Prime Minister Modi not in 'good mood', says Donald Trump

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday had said India is directly in touch with the Chinese government over escalating tensions between the two countries. Trump had also, meanwhile, offered to mediate to resolve the border issue.

The US President had said he spoke with Modi about the conflict and said that PM Modi was not in a "good mood". Trump was speaking to reporters at the Oval Office on Thursday. "I like your prime minister a lot. He is a great gentleman. Have a big conflict... India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people. Two countries with very powerful militaries. India is not happy and probably China is not happy," he said. "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 added.

Also read: India deploys more troops as tensions with China escalate in Ladakh's Galwan Valley region

The US President had offered to mediate a day earlier. When asked about the same he said, "I would do that (mediate). If they thought it would help," he said.

However, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava had already said on Wednesday that India and China were engaged to peacefully resolve the issue.

Meanwhile, China's state-run Global Times said that India and China did not need the US President to mediate. "The latest dispute can be solved bilaterally by China and India. The two countries should keep alert on the US, which exploits every chance to create waves that jeopardise regional peace and order," it said.

Also read: India-China standoff: US backs New Delhi, says Beijing's behaviour aggressive