ANKARA

India denied on Friday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with President Vladimir Putin after the US imposed 50% tariffs on the South Asian nation, partly over oil purchases from Russia.

The denial came after NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte claimed that Modi had spoken with Putin to ask for “Moscow's strategy on Ukraine in view of the impact of Washington's punitive tariffs on India.”

“It is factually incorrect and entirely baseless,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday in New Delhi.

“At no point has Prime Minister Modi spoken with President Putin in the manner suggested. No such conversation has taken place,” said Jaiswal, rejecting Rutte’s claims made in an interview with CNN.

The NATO chief had stated that the tariffs imposed on India had affected Russia.

"This immediately impacts Russia because that means that Delhi is now on the phone with Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin in Moscow and Narendra Modi asking, 'Hey, I support you. But again, could you explain to me the strategy? Because I have now been hit by these 50% tariffs by the United States.’ So, President Trump is implementing what he says...,” Rutte said Thursday.

The US implemented additional tariffs on Indian imports starting Aug. 27.

Modi and Putin met in China on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit and spoke on the phone afterwards.

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

The ministry emphasized that New Delhi's energy imports are intended to provide predictable and affordable energy costs to Indian consumers.

“India will continue taking all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security,” Jaiswal said.

Bilateral ties between India and the US have been strained after US President Donald Trump imposed punitive tariffs on New Delhi for purchasing Russian oil and for failing to reach a trade agreement.

The Trump administration imposed tariffs exceeding 50% on Indian imports.

Both countries resumed trade talks this month, with officials from India and the US making trips to New Delhi and Washington to continue discussions.