India has rejected claims that a trade deal with the US was delayed because Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not personally call former US President Donald Trump. The government said the statement made by a US official was incorrect and did not reflect the real situation.
The claim was made by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in a podcast interview. He said a trade agreement between India and the US was almost ready but needed a direct call from Prime Minister Modi to President Trump to be finalised. He suggested that the delay in making this call caused the deal to stall, while the US moved ahead with agreements with other countries.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs dismissed this version of events. Official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the remarks were “not accurate” and clarified that Prime Minister Modi and President Trump were in regular contact. He pointed out that the two leaders spoke several times over the past year and discussed many important bilateral and global issues.
The ministry stressed that there was no lack of communication at the highest level. It also said that trade negotiations are complex and involve many rounds of discussions between officials, not just personal phone calls between leaders.
Indian officials added that talks with the US have faced challenges due to differences over tariffs, market access, and trade policies. These issues take time to resolve and cannot be blamed on any single interaction or decision.
India said it continues to value its relationship with the US and remains open to moving forward on a trade agreement that is fair and beneficial to both sides. The government also emphasised that relations between the two leaders have always been respectful and constructive.
By responding strongly, New Delhi made it clear that it does not accept a simplified narrative around the stalled trade talks and wants the focus to remain on meaningful dialogue and long-term cooperation between India and the US.
