India Denies Rutte's Claim of Moscow Call

At the U.N. General Assembly, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte told CNN that U.S. tariffs on India’s purchases of Russian oil had put “Delhi on the phone with Moscow,” forcing New Delhi to press Moscow for clarity on its Ukraine strategy. India’s Ministry of External Affairs rejected the claim as “factually incorrect and entirely baseless,” with spokesman Randhir Jaiswal saying no such conversation took place and urging NATO leaders to exercise responsibility in public remarks. The dispute occurs against a backdrop of U.S. punitive tariffs tied to India’s Russian energy purchases and ongoing U.S.-India trade talks. U.S. trade negotiators have reportedly told India that curbing Russian crude imports is crucial to lowering tariff rates and clinching a trade deal, while India says it needs Russian energy to keep supplies affordable and will safeguard its national interests. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has floated possible concessions including increased purchases of U.S. defense and energy goods, but U.S. officials say further work is needed on market access, the trade deficit and oil procurement.