The first telephone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President-elect Joe Biden “will happen in due course at a mutually convenient time”, the Indian external affairs ministry said on Thursday.

Over the past two days, Biden has spoken to eight heads of government across the world in a selection that, according to The New York Times, reflected a “return to traditional diplomatic protocol after years of President Trump’s haphazard foreign interactions”.

In New Delhi, asked if Modi had requested a call with Biden, and if so when was it scheduled, foreign ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said it would happen in due course.

According to the Biden-Harris transition team, the President-elect “participated in separate congratulatory calls” with the leaders of France, Germany, Ireland, the UK, Canada, Australia, Japan and South Korea.

Japan, Australia and India are part of the four-member Washington-driven Quadrilateral.

Sources pointed out that Biden was going by the book.