Delhi dismisses NATO chief's remarks on PM

India on Friday described as “entirely baseless" NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's remarks that Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialled Russian President Vladimir Putin and asked for the strategy on Ukraine in view of impact of Washington's punitive tariffs on India for its energy ties with Moscow.

- Agencies

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said "speculative or careless" remarks that misrepresent Modi's engagements or suggest conversations that never occurred are "unacceptable".

Strongly justifying India's continued procurement of Russian crude oil, Jaiswal said there cannot be any "double standards" in the matter" against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump's recent remarks that appeared to be critical of the EU and NATO nations for their energy ties with Russia. Rutte told CNN on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York that Trump's tariffs on India are having a "big impact” on Russia and New Delhi is on the phone with Putin.