The Aryavarth Express
New Delhi: India on Friday dismissed remarks made by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick regarding the India–US trade deal, saying the characterisation of discussions was “not accurate.” The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated that New Delhi has remained committed to concluding a balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement with Washington.
Responding to questions at the weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India and the United States have been close to finalising a trade deal on several occasions. “We have seen the remarks. On several occasions, we have been close to a deal. The characterisation of these discussions, the reported remarks, is not accurate,” he said.
Jaiswal noted that India and the US have been engaged in negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement since February 13 last year, with multiple rounds of talks held to reach a mutually beneficial outcome. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump have spoken several times over the past year on various aspects of the wide-ranging India–US partnership.
“India remains interested in a mutually beneficial trade deal between two complementary economies and looks forward to concluding it,” the MEA spokesperson said.
The response comes after US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed that the trade deal failed to materialise because Prime Minister Modi did not place a call to President Trump. Speaking on the ‘All-In Podcast’ with venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya, Lutnick said that while the deal structure and contracts were prepared, finalisation required direct engagement between the two leaders.
According to Lutnick, India was given multiple deadlines to conclude the agreement, but after it allegedly failed to do so, the US proceeded to finalise trade deals with other Asian countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. He also described President Trump’s trade negotiation strategy as a “staircase” approach, where early movers received more favourable terms.
Lutnick further claimed that when India later sought to move forward with the deal, the opportunity had passed. He added that subsequent agreements were negotiated at higher rates.
The issue has gained significance amid the US imposing steep tariffs on major exporters, including India and China. Since August 2025, goods from India entering the United States have been subject to 50 per cent tariffs, impacting bilateral trade ties.
India, however, has maintained that discussions with the US have been ongoing and constructive, and has rejected suggestions that negotiations stalled due to a lack of political engagement at the leadership level.
