New Delhi: India on Friday strongly rejected remarks by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggesting that stalled India-US trade negotiations were due to insufficient political engagement from New Delhi, asserting that such claims misrepresent the reality of sustained and high-level discussions between the two countries.
Responding sharply, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India and the United States have been engaged in continuous and substantive negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement since February 13 last year, with multiple rounds of talks bringing both sides close to finalising a deal on several occasions. New Delhi underlined that it would not accept questions being raised about its negotiating credibility or strategic autonomy.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the portrayal of the discussions in Lutnick’s reported remarks was inaccurate and overlooked the depth of engagement already undertaken. He reiterated that India remains keen to conclude a balanced and mutually beneficial trade agreement between what it described as two complementary economies, but stressed that any such pact must be equitable and negotiated on its own merits rather than driven by public pressure.
Indian officials also countered suggestions of a lack of political outreach, noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump held telephone conversations on eight occasions during 2025, covering a broad range of bilateral and global issues. A senior MEA official said these interactions clearly demonstrated regular engagement at the highest level, contradicting claims of any communication gap.
The rebuttal comes against the backdrop of rising trade tensions, with President Trump repeatedly warning India over its continued purchases of Russian oil and hinting at the possibility of steep tariffs on Indian exports. Lutnick, speaking on a podcast, had claimed that the trade deal did not materialise because Prime Minister Modi did not personally call Trump to close the agreement, implying discomfort on India’s part.
India firmly dismissed that narrative, emphasising that negotiations have progressed through six formal rounds, including discussions on addressing high tariffs imposed on certain Indian exports to the US. Officials maintained that while India is committed to deepening economic ties with Washington, it will not compromise on fairness or allow political attribution to dictate the outcome of complex trade negotiations.
