'PM Modi, Trump spoke on April', say Government sources after Trump's China claim
Hours after US President Donald Trump claimed he had spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the India-China border tension, and stated Modi “is not in a good mood on what is going on in China”, top government sources have said there has been no recent conversation between PM Modi and US President Trump.
“There has been no recent contact between PM Modi and President Trump. The last conversation between them was on April 4, 2020, on the subject of hydroxychloroquine. Yesterday, MEA had also made it clear that we are directly in touch with the Chinese through established mechanisms and diplomatic contacts,” the sources said.
The clarification came after Trump said in Washington that he spoke to Modi over India's ongoing border row with China in Eastern Ladakh and reiterated his offer to mediate dispute between the two country.
On Tuesday, Trump offered to mediate between India and China to resolve the border dispute.
"The last conversation between Modi and Trump was on April 4 on the subject of hydroxychloroquine," a source said.
On Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs made it clear that India is directly in touch with the Chinese side through established mechanisms and diplomatic contacts to resolve the row.
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.
