Amid escalating tensions between Delhi and Washington, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly refused to take calls from US President Donald Trump on at least four occasions after Washington imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods entering America, according to international media reports.

The Mainz-based German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) described Modi’s actions as a reflection of both the “intensity of his frustration and his prudent approach” in handling Trump’s pressure tactics. Trump’s administration slapped India with the steepest tariffs imposed on any country except Brazil, even as the White House made repeated overtures to open dialogue.

Quoting the report, Thorsten Benner, Co-Founder and Director of Berlin’s Global Public Policy Institute, wrote on X: “Reports say Trump made four unsuccessful attempts to reach Modi in recent weeks, with the Indian PM declining each call.”

FAZ observed that Modi, despite having maintained cordial ties with Trump in the past, has “withstood this pressure” and refused to compromise India’s economic priorities. The newspaper emphasized that Trump’s repeated calls revealed his persistence, while Modi’s silence highlighted his resentment and strategic caution.

The German outlet drew parallels with Trump’s earlier conduct in Vietnam, where he abruptly overturned a meticulously negotiated trade deal with General Secretary To Lam and falsely announced on social media that an agreement had been finalized. Reports noted: “Modi seeks to avoid a similar predicament.”

Adding to this analysis, Mark Frazier, Co-Director of the India-China Institute at New York’s New School, argued that “America’s approach is failing.” He contended Washington’s vision of an Indo-Pacific partnership—with India positioned as a frontline player in America’s China containment strategy—was “crumbling”, stressing that New Delhi never intended to align itself fully against Beijing.