New Delhi: India on Friday described as “entirely baseless” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s remarks that Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialled Russian President Vladimir Putin and asked for Moscow’s strategy on Ukraine in view of the impact of Washington’s punitive tariffs on India.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said “speculative or careless” remarks that misrepresent Modi’s engagements or suggest conversations that never occurred are “unacceptable”.
Rutte told CNN on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York that US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on India are having a “big impact” on Russia and New Delhi is on the phone with Putin.
Jaiswal reiterated that India was committed to “ensure predictable and affordable energy costs” to the Indian consumers and that India will take all “necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security”.
Addressing the weekly press briefing on Friday (September 26, 2025), Jaiswal also gave details of the discussion held in New York between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on September 22, where India-U.S. bilateral trade and increase in tariffs by the United States had been the “focus”. The Indian side was in contact with the U.S. administration over the sharp hike in H-1 B visa fees amounting to $199,000 over visa application, he added.
“External Affairs Minister and U.S. Secretary of State met on the sidelines of UNGA on 22 September 2025. They were joined by the Commerce and Industry Minister (Piyush Goyal) and U.S. Trade Representative (Jamieson Greer), as also officials on both sides. The focus of the discussion was on trade and tariffs. Other aspects of our bilateral relationship were also reviewed,” said Mr. Jaiswal, elaborating on the talks held in a New York hotel, days after U.S. President Donald Trump issued a proclamation hiking the H-1B visa fees.
Mr. Jaishankar’s meeting with Mr. Rubio was one of the several meetings that he held in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly’s annual session.
