India on Friday strongly refuted NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin over U.S. tariffs, calling the statement “factually incorrect” and “entirely baseless.”

Speaking at a weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have seen the statement by NATO Secretary-General Mr. Mark Rutte regarding a purported phone conversation between Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin of Russia. This statement is factually incorrect and entirely baseless. At no point has Prime Minister Modi spoken with President Putin in the manner suggested. No such conversation has taken place.”

Jaiswal added, “We expect the leadership of an important and esteemed institution like NATO to exercise greater responsibility and accuracy in public statements. Speculative or careless remarks that misrepresent the Prime Minister’s engagements or suggest conversations that never occurred are unacceptable.”

Rutte had made the remarks while speaking to CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly summit in New York. He claimed that U.S. President Donald Trump’s 50 percent tariffs on India over Russian oil imports had forced Modi to contact Putin for clarity on Moscow’s Ukraine strategy.

Rutte said, “This immediately impacts Russia because that means Delhi is now on the phone with Vladimir Putin in Moscow, and Narendra Modi is asking him, 'I support you, but could you explain to me your strategy because I have now been hit by these 50 per cent tariffs by the United States.’”

India, however, slammed these claims and reiterated that it takes independent decisions on energy, with MEA stating, “India's energy imports are meant to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs to the Indian consumer. India will continue taking all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security.”