'Last call between PM Modi, US Prez was about HCQ': Sources on Trump's mediation offer

There has been no recent contact between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United States President Donald Trump, news agency ANI said on Friday quoting their sources. The last conversation between both the leaders was on April 4, 2020, on the subject of Hydroxychloroquine, the sources said. On Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs had also made it clear that India is directly in touch with China through established mechanisms and diplomatic contacts, they added.

This comes after Donald Trump on Thursday reiterated his offer to mediate between India and China on the ongoing border issue and said that he spoke to PM Modi regarding the situation. Speaking to the reporters at the White House, Trump said that PM Modi is not in a "good mood" about the ongoing situation with Beijing.

'I did speak to Prime Minister Modi'

"We have a big conflict going on between India and China, two countries with 1.4 billion people and very powerful militaries. India is not happy and probably China is not happy. I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He is not in a good mood about what's going on with China," said Trump at the Oval Office.

Asked about his Wednesday's tweet regarding his offer to mediate between India and China, Trump said, "I would do that. If they (China and India) thought it would help." However, Trump did not clarify when did he speak to PM Modi. 

A day earlier, Trump offered to mediate between India and China. Trump on Wednesday said in a tweet that he was "ready, willing and able to mediate" between the two countries.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that both China and India have proper mechanisms and communication channels to resolve the issues through dialogue and consultations.

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India responds to Trump's mediation offer

In response to Trump's mediation offer, India said on Thursday that it is engaged with the Chinese side to resolve the border issue peacefully. India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that the two sides have established mechanisms both at military and diplomatic levels to resolve situations that may arise in border areas peacefully through dialogue and "continue to remain engaged through these channels."

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Indian and Chinese field commanders have been holding talks on de-escalating the tensions. "We should never let differences overshadow our relations. We should resolve differences through communication. China and India should be good neighbours of harmonious coexistence and good partners to move forward hand in hand," said Chinese Ambassador to India, Sun Weidong, on Wednesday.

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The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of May 5 which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to "disengage" following a meeting at the level of local commanders. Over 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in the violence. The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in North Sikkim on May 9.

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(With agency inputs)