New Delhi: US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has suggested that Washington and New Delhi have not finalized their long-discussed trade pact because Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not personally reached out to US President Donald Trump.
Appearing on the All-In Podcast hosted by Chamath Palihapitiya, Lutnick remarked that progress on the agreement hinges on direct engagement between the two leaders.
Lutnick said: “Let’s be clear, it’s his deal. He’s the closer. He does the deal. So I said, you got to have Modi. It’s all set up. You have to have Modi…they were uncomfortable doing it.”
He added, “So Modi didn’t call,” implying that the absence of leader-to-leader communication has slowed negotiations.
The All-In Podcast posted the full interview on its X account.
The comments surfaced shortly after Trump signed legislation enabling Washington to impose tariffs of at least 500% on countries that continue purchasing Russian crude. Senator Lindsey Graham, backing the measure, described it as a tool to pressure nations such as India, China, and Brazil to cut back on discounted Russian oil, saying it would grant the US “tremendous leverage”.
Both governments instructed officials in February to launch negotiations and target partial completion by autumn 2025. However, India’s continued energy ties with Moscow remain a sticking point.
In August, Washington slapped more duties on Indian products, arguing New Delhi’s Russian purchases were supporting Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Tariffs on Indian exports to the US now total 50%, a combination of 25% reciprocal tariffs initially brought in under Trump and a further 25% added last year.
