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Modi-Trump phone clash marked turning point in US-India ties: report

White House lunch for Pakistan’s army chief rattled Indian leadership, report reveals
Published 08 Aug, 2025 10:37pm
US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. File photos
US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. File photos

A tense phone call between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on June 17 marked a turning point in US-India relations, Bloomberg has reported.

According to the report, the 45-minute conversation — 35 minutes of which were dominated by Modi — saw Trump largely ignore the Indian leader’s remarks.

The tone of the call was tense, and the report said it triggered a visible shift in the White House’s attitude towards New Delhi.

The very next day, the White House hosted a luncheon in honour of Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.

The event, held with warmth and high protocol, reportedly unsettled the Indian leadership.

It noted that Modi was so rattled he decided to drop his plan to visit the US after the Group of Seven summit which was held in Canada from June 15 to June 17.

The deterioration in ties later became evident when Washington imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods — a move that has hit bilateral trade.

The report described the June 17 exchange as a key moment that pushed relations between Washington and New Delhi to their current low point.

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Syed Asim Munir

US tariffs on India