PM Modi last spoke to Trump in April, no interaction on China, say officials as Trump talks of ‘bad mood’
Sources in the government have said PM Modi last spoke to Donald Trump on April 4 on the hydroxychloroquine issue. There has been no interaction on the standoff with China as claimed by Trump, said sources.
by Geeta MohanHIGHLIGHTS
- Donald Trump said he spoke to PM Modi, who is in a bad mood
- Trump said PM Modi is in a bad mood over the conflict with China
- Sources have said PM Modi last spoke to Donald Trump on April 4
After offering to mediate between India and China, Donald Trump claimed PM Narendra Modi is in a bad mood over the raging border dispute. However, sources say the two leaders last spoke on April 4 and there has been no interaction recently.
Sources have said there has been no recent contact between PM Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump over the ongoing border strife with China. They last spoke when US demanded that India send across the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, which Trump believes is a treatment for coronavirus.
Sources have said, “The last conversation between Trump and Modi was on April 4, 2020 on the subject of hydroxychloroquine.”
During his media interaction at the White House, 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 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," Trump said on Thursday.
"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.
Meanwhile, as Trump offered to mediate, the Ministry of External Affairs made it clear that India is in direct touch with the Chinese side through established mechanisms and diplomatic contacts. The MEA has indirectly refused Trump’s mediation offer and said the matter can be solved by India and China by themselves.
The Chinese state media too showed a similar stand and said China and India does not need help from the US to resolve their current round frictions at the border. In response to President Donald Trump’s offer to mediate, the Chinese media pointed out that the leadership of the two countries successfully solved the Doklam standoff in 2017 with "concerted efforts and wisdom."