‘False and fabricated’: MoD sources on reports claiming pause in talks with US on defence purchases

Amid media reports claiming India may have paused talks related to new defence purchases with the US, defence ministry sources on Friday rejected the suggestion as “false and fabricated”.

It is clarified that the various cases of procurement are “being progressed as per the extant procedures”, they said.

A report in an international media outlet which claimed that India might have put on hold its plans for new defence-related purchases, came amid growing tensions between New Delhi and Washington over tariff imposition by the US.

Last week, US President Donald Trump had announced 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on India that came into effect from August 7.

The US president on Wednesday also signed an executive order slapping an additional 25 per cent levy on India for New Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil, bringing the total duties to 50 per cent, among the highest imposed by the US on any country in the world.

The additional 25 per cent duty will come into effect after 21 days on August 27.

Indian defence ministry sources have rejected the claims made in the report.

The news reports claiming that India may have paused talks related to new defence purchases with the US, are “false and fabricated”, they said.

It is clarified that the “various cases of procurement are being progressed as per the extant procedures,” the sources said.