The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) dismissed US Commerce Secretary Lutnick’s statement that trade negotiations between India and the US had halted due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi not calling President Donald Trump. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified that the reported remarks were inaccurate. Jaiswal emphasized India’s continued interest in a mutually beneficial trade agreement with the US.
According to Lutnick, the trade deal fell through because Trump did not receive a call from PM Modi, leading Washington to pursue agreements with other countries. Jaiswal highlighted that India and the US had been engaged in negotiations for a bilateral trade deal since February last year and had conducted multiple rounds of talks to achieve a fair agreement. He noted that both nations had come close to finalizing a deal on several occasions.
Jaiswal also mentioned that PM Modi and President Trump had conversed over the phone eight times in 2025, discussing various aspects of their partnership. Lutnick claimed he had urged PM Modi to contact the President to seal the deal, but India hesitated, resulting in no call being made. The US Commerce Secretary revealed that the US had secured trade agreements with Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, expecting the deal with India to precede them.
