India on Friday strongly rejected comments made by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick regarding stalled negotiations, reiterating that India US trade deal talks remain active and focused on achieving a mutually beneficial agreement. The Ministry of External Affairs clarified that the suggestion Prime Minister Narendra Modi failed to personally call former US President Donald Trump to finalise the deal was inaccurate, underscoring that engagement between the two countries has been consistent, ending the clarification with India US trade deal talks.
India Pushes Back Against US Commerce Secretary
External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed Lutnick’s remarks during a weekly media briefing, stating that the characterisation of discussions was not correct. Lutnick had claimed on a podcast that India was given “three Fridays” to close the agreement and that the deal stalled because Modi “did not call” Trump. Jaiswal said such remarks did not reflect the reality of negotiations under India US trade deal talks.
According to the ministry, India and the US have been close to reaching an agreement several times during multiple rounds of negotiations. These discussions were in line with commitments made during a February meeting between Modi and Trump in Washington, where both leaders agreed to work towards a balanced and fair outcome under India US trade deal talks.
Phone Calls And Diplomatic Engagement
Rejecting the notion of limited communication, Jaiswal revealed that Prime Minister Modi and President Trump spoke on the phone eight times during 2025. These conversations covered various aspects of the bilateral partnership, including trade, strategic cooperation, and regional issues, further reinforcing India’s position on India US trade deal talks.
People familiar with the negotiations noted that it would be misleading to suggest a complex trade agreement could be concluded through a single phone call. They added that whenever negotiations appeared close to a breakthrough, additional demands were raised by the US side, making it difficult to immediately conclude India US trade deal talks.
A Rare Diplomatic Pushback
This marks one of the rare occasions when India has publicly countered remarks made by a senior US official. A similar response was seen in May 2025, when New Delhi dismissed claims that Washington had brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Analysts believe such responses signal India’s intent to assert its diplomatic narrative while continuing engagement through India US trade deal talks.
For deeper insight into India’s evolving foreign policy stance, read Kiddaan’s earlier coverage on India-US strategic relations. For international perspectives on trade diplomacy, global analysis videos are available on YouTube.
 FAQs
Q: What are India US trade deal talks focused on?
A: India US trade deal talks aim to establish a balanced trade agreement that benefits both economies.
Q: Why did India reject the US claim about the Modi-Trump call?**
A: India said the claim misrepresented negotiations and ignored ongoing diplomatic engagement in India US trade deal talks.
Q: Have Modi and Trump spoken during the negotiation period?**
A: Yes, they spoke multiple times in 2025, covering several bilateral issues linked to India US trade deal talks.
Q: Is India still interested in a trade agreement with the US?**
A: Yes, India has reiterated its commitment to concluding a mutually beneficial deal.
