Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stayed away from a regional leaders summit in Malaysia this week to avoid meeting U.S. President Donald Trump and having a possible discussion about Pakistan, people familiar with the matter said.
Officials in the government were apprehensive that Trump would repeat his claim that he mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after a four-day armed conflict in May, the people said, asking not to be identified because the discussions are private. India has consistently denied Trump¡¯s involvement.
Relations between India and the U.S. have soured since the Pakistan conflict five months ago, with Trump slapping 50% tariffs on Indian exports in August, half of which is a penalty for the South Asian nation¡¯s purchases of Russian oil. Trade negotiations have dragged on since then, without any clear sign of a deal yet.
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