The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday strongly rejected remarks made by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sought clarification from Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding Moscow’s stance on the Ukraine conflict following reported U.S. penalties on India’s purchase of Russian oil.
Calling the assertion “completely unfounded,” the MEA clarified that no such exchange had taken place between the Indian and Russian leadership. In a statement, the ministry underlined that India’s diplomatic engagements with Russia are conducted transparently and independently, and do not require validation through third-party interpretations.
MEA Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, as per ANI, “We have seen the statement by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte regarding a purported phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and President Vladimir Putin of Russia. This statement is factually incorrect and entirely baseless.”
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(More details awaited)
