India calls NATO chief's claim that PM Modi asked for Ukraine plan from Putin as 'entirely baseless'

NEW DELHI: India described 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 as 'entirely baseless'

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.

"And Narendra Modi is asking him to explain his strategy on Ukraine because India is being hit with tariffs," he claimed.

Ja