India on Friday rejected outright the claims made by Mark Rutte, secretary-general of the western military alliance Nato, that tariffs imposed by the US led to India asking Russia to explain its Ukraine war strategy as "factually incorrect and entirely baseless". In an official statement issued on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs said no such talks took place, and asked the Nato chief to exercise cautioned in the future.

India blasted the Nato chief for claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the matter.

"We have seen the statement by Nato Secretary-General Mr Mark Rutte regarding a purported phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin. The statement is factually incorrect

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