PM Modi’s Evasion & Xi Jinping's Secret Letter Stirs Up Political Environment Amid India-US Tariff War

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According to a German newspaper, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), US President Donald Trump tried calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi at least four times, but his calls were not answered. The newspaper's report suggested that Modi might have been angry and cautious. A similar report in the Japanese newspaper, Nikkei Asia, also noted the incident, which “heightened Trump's frustration.”

The news report was published shortly after the United States imposed a 50% tariff on certain categories of Indian goods. Roughly half of this tariff is imposed because India purchases Russian crude oil. Another important reason, as mentioned by the US, is Delhi’s reluctance to open up its agriculture and dairy industries to American imports.

Did Prime Minister Modi Snub the US President?

Washington, DC officials have refrained from commenting on the matter due to a lack of concrete information. However, a prominent Indian diplomat has reportedly stated that it is not PM Modi's practice to discuss major issues over the phone.

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However, the German newspaper claims that PM Modi was offended by stating that, “The fact that the Indian (Modi) still refuses to talk demonstrates the depth of his anger and his caution.”

FAZ went on to explain the reason behind this caution. It said that Donald Trump had previously renegotiated the US-Vietnam trade agreement. The US President had evidently finalized the new terms of the trade pact on a single phone call.

“Modi doesn’t want to fall into the same trap,” FAZ said.

Has Xi Jinping Sent Any Secret Letters?

Amidst growing tensions between the US and India, a Bloomberg report claims Xi Jinping’s secret letter was meant to test India’s readiness to restore friendly ties with China. It said that although the message was sent to the Indian President, Droupadi Murmu, it was afterwards delivered to PM Modi. In the letter, Xi Jinping displayed concerns over future India-US agreements that might wound Beijing's interests.

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There have also been some notable improvements in India-China ties recently. For instance, direct passenger flights between China and India will resume in just a few weeks. Besides, Beijing has loosened restrictions on urea shipments to India. These two incidents have attracted attention around the world.