US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said a proposed trade deal with India fell through because Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not call US President Donald Trump to finalise it.
Lutnick’s remarks came days after Trump said Modi was aware of his displeasure over India’s continued purchases of Russian oil and warned that Washington could raise tariffs on New Delhi “very quickly.”
The comments came at a time when India and the U.S. were negotiating a bilateral trade agreement. Six rounds of talks have been held so far, including discussions on a framework to resolve the 50% tariffs on Indian goods entering the U.S.
Speaking on a podcast on Thursday (Jan 8, 2026), Lutnick said he had asked Modi to call Trump to close the deal, but India was “uncomfortable” doing so. “So Mr. Modi didn’t call,” he said.
He added that the U.S. subsequently concluded trade deals with several countries, assuming India’s agreement would be finalised earlier. “Modi didn’t call Trump. We did a bunch of deals after that. And later India called and said, ‘OK, we’re ready.’ And I said, ‘Ready for what? You’re ready for the train that left the station three weeks ago?’” Lutnick said.
