US President Donald Trump has reportedly cancelled his plans to attend the forthcoming Quad summit in New Delhi, slated for November, according to sources familiar with the matter. The decision, first reported by The New York Times, is believed to stem from mounting strains in the bilateral relationship between the United States and India.
The White House has yet to issue an official statement confirming the cancellation. However, the reported shift in Trump’s schedule comes at a time when tensions between the two nations have been escalating, particularly after the US president’s decision to impose punitive tariffs on India over its purchase of Russian oil.
The NYT article, titled “The Nobel Prize and a Testy Phone Call: How the Trump-Modi Relationship Unraveled,” highlights the deteriorating ties between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to the report, Trump had initially promised to visit India later this year for the Quad summit but has now decided against the trip.
Sources suggest that the fallout between the two leaders began with a contentious phone call regarding the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict. The report claims that Trump repeatedly made claims of “solving” the India-Pakistan conflict, which enraged Modi. In particular, Trump’s assertions about his role in brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan were met with firm resistance from the Indian Prime Minister, who made it clear that any such resolution was a result of direct talks between the two countries, with no involvement from the United States.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Modi, during a 35-minute phone conversation at the G7 summit in Canada, had firmly told Trump that India would not accept third-party mediation in the dispute with Pakistan.
Despite this, Trump allegedly continued to press his narrative, even claiming over 40 times since May that he had played a pivotal role in de-escalating the military tensions.
The NYT report also touches on another sore point in the bilateral relationship: Trump’s suggestion that Pakistan might nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the India-Pakistan ceasefire. Sources close to the call indicated that Trump implicitly suggested that Modi should follow suit, a move which reportedly irked the Indian leader further.
The article also notes that Trump’s frustrations with trade negotiations and tariffs played a role in the deteriorating ties. While Trump reportedly reached out to Modi several times to resolve the tariff disputes, the Indian Prime Minister is said to have been unresponsive to these overtures.
The cancellation of the US President’s visit to India, combined with the ongoing diplomatic discord, marks a sharp contrast to the once-close relationship that Trump and Modi enjoyed during the former’s first term.
This evolving dynamic underscores the complexities of international diplomacy, where personal relationships between leaders often intersect with broader geopolitical and economic interests.
As the Quad summit approaches, the absence of the US President will undoubtedly cast a shadow over the event, which is expected to bring together leaders from Australia, Japan, and the United States in New Delhi to discuss regional security concerns in the Indo-Pacific.
