Trump Cancels Planned Visit To India For Quad Summit Amid Ongoing Diplomatic Tensions

US President Donald Trump has reportedly cancelled his plans to visit India for the Quad Summit later this, according to The New York Times. The report, titled 'The Nobel Prize and a Testy Phone Call: How the Trump-Modi Relationship Unraveled,’ suggests that Trump had initially informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his intention to visit in the fall but has since changed his mind.

The relationship between Trump and Modi has been strained due to ongoing trade tensions and Trump's controversial claims about resolving a military conflict between India and Pakistan. These assertions have been consistently denied by India. "President Trump's repeated claims about having 'solved' the India-Pakistan war infuriated Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India. And that was only the beginning," the report states.

Trade Tensions and Diplomatic Strains

India is set to host the Quad summit later this year, with no official response from either government regarding Trump's change of plans. Earlier this year, the Trump administration held the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in January, just after Trump began his second term as president. The NYT report highlights how ties between Trump and Modi began to sour amid these tensions.

During a 35-minute phone call on June 17, as Trump returned from the G7 Summit in Canada, he spoke with Modi. Although a face-to-face meeting was planned at the summit's sidelines in Kananaskis, Trump left early. India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that Modi made it clear there was no discussion of a US-India trade deal or any US mediation proposal concerning the India-Pakistan conflict.

Nobel Ambitions and Political Friction

The NYT reported that during their June 17 conversation, Trump claimed credit for ending the escalation between India and Pakistan and mentioned Pakistan's plan to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize. "The not-so-subtle implication, according to people familiar with the call, was that Mr Modi should do the same," said the NYT.

Modi firmly told Trump that India does not accept any mediation in its conflict with Pakistan. Misri confirmed that ceasefire talks occurred directly between Indian and Pakistani armed forces through existing channels initiated by Pakistan. The disagreement over Trump's Nobel ambitions further strained their relationship.

Tariff Impositions and Policy Implications

The report also pointed out Trump's decision to impose a 25 percent tariff on India for purchasing Russian oil, suggesting it was punitive rather than policy-driven. Richard Rossow from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies commented that targeting India specifically indicates it's about more than just Russia.

"If this was a real change in policy in trying to squeeze Russia, Trump could have put his weight behind legislation that would have imposed secondary sanctions on countries that buy Russian hydrocarbons," Rossow said. The NYT added that as tariff negotiations stalled, Trump attempted multiple times to contact Modi without success.

The White House never publicly acknowledged their June 17 call, nor did Trump mention it on social media. Since May 10, he has publicly claimed over 40 times responsibility for ending the India-Pakistan conflict. This narrative reflects an American president eyeing a Nobel Prize while navigating complex Indian politics involving Pakistan.