Modi, Trump spoke 8 times in 2025: MEA responds to Howard Lutnick’s India-US trade deal claim
India's MEA refutes US claims of stalled FTA due to Modi's silence, revealing PM Modi and President Trump spoke eight times in 2025. This counters US Commerce Secretary's remarks blaming India.
New Delhi: Despite reports of a communication breakdown at the highest levels, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) revealed on Friday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump have spoken on the phone eight times in 2025. These frequent high-level consultations cover a wide range of the bilateral partnership, surfacing as a direct counter-narrative to claims that a lack of personal outreach from New Delhi has stalled a critical Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
The MEA’s disclosure follows provocative remarks from US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who claimed in a recent interview that a trade deal between the two countries remained unsigned because Prime Minister Modi failed to "call the President."
Jaiswal dismissed Lutnick's version
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed Lutnick's version of events during a media briefing, labelling the description of the negotiations as "not accurate." Jaiswal emphasised that India and the US have been committed to negotiating a bilateral trade deal since February 13, 2025.
"We have seen the remarks. India and the US were committed to negotiating a bilateral trade agreement as far back as February 13, 2025. Since then, the two sides have held multiple rounds of negotiations to arrive at a balanced and mutually beneficial trade agreement. On several occasions, we have been close to a deal," he said during a weekly press briefing.
He added that numerous rounds of negotiations have taken place to reach a balanced, mutually beneficial agreement between the two countries.
India interested in concluding deal between "complementary economies"
During a press briefing, the MEA spokesperson said that India remains interested in concluding a deal between the two "complementary economies" and noted that the sides have been close to a deal on several occasions.
Speaking with Chamath Palihapitiya, Lutnick characterised Trump as "the closer" and suggested that while the framework for a deal was ready, the Indian side appeared "uncomfortable" making the final call to seal the arrangement. "You just had to have Modi call the President," Lutnick stated, adding that the US successfully concluded trade deals with Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam while the Indian deal languished.
US shifted terms
Lutnick’s interview also shed light on the aggressive "America First" negotiation style currently being deployed. He admitted that because the White House initially expected the India deal to finish first, the US negotiated with New Delhi at a "higher rate."
Furthermore, Lutnick confirmed that the US has effectively reneged on previously discussed terms. "India remembers the deal we agreed to. I remember it," Lutnick said. "They tell you agreed to this deal. I told them I agreed then. Not now."