Modi, Trump talked 8 times in 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump have spoken eight times in 2025, New Delhi said on Friday, pushing back against remarks by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on stalled India–US trade talks.India rejected Lutnick’s claim that the proposed trade deal had stalled because Modi did not reach out to Trump, saying the portrayal of the negotiations was inaccurate.“The characterisation of these discussions in the reported remarks is not accurate. We remain interested in a mutually beneficial trade deal between two complementary economies and look forward to concluding it. Incidentally, Prime Minister and President Trump have also spoken on phone on 8 occasions during 2025, covering different aspects of our wide-ranging partnership,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.Also Read: No call from PM Modi to Trump blocked India-US trade deal, US commerce secy says“We have seen the remarks. India and the US were committed to negotiating a bilateral trade agreement with the US as far back as 13 February last year. Since then, the two sides have held multiple rounds of negotiation to arrive at a balanced and mutually beneficial trade agreement. On several occasions, we have been close to a deal," he added.The statement followed Lutnick’s comments on the All-In Podcast, where he said the trade agreement failed to progress because Prime Minister Modi did not personally call President Trump at a critical juncture in the negotiations."I set the deal up. But you had to have Modi call President Trump. They (India) were uncomfortable with it. So Modi didn't call," said Lutnick. "Assumed India deal is going to be done before Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and negotiated with them at a higher rate. And then India calls back and says, 'Oh, okay. We—we're ready.' I said, 'Ready for what?' You know, it was like three weeks later. I go, 'Are—are you ready for the train that left the station three weeks ago?'"India and the US have been negotiating a proposed bilateral trade agreement since March and have held six rounds of talks so far. However, relations have come under pressure after the Trump administration imposed steep tariffs on Indian goods, including a total levy of 50 per cent -- among the highest imposed on any US trading partner -- with 25 percent linked to India’s purchases of Russian oil.India has described the US action as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable”.New Delhi is also tracking developments in Washington after a fresh legislative push threatened even harsher trade action. Responding to questions on a proposed US bill seeking punitive tariffs on countries importing Russian oil, the MEA said: “We are aware of it.”Also Read: 500% Trump Tariffs? India could pay the price on Russian oil sanctions while China cruises freeThe proposed legislation, titled the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, would empower the US administration to impose tariffs and secondary sanctions on countries buying Russian oil, gas and uranium. According to the bill, "The president must increase the rate of duty on all goods and services imported from Russia into the United States to at least 500% relative to the value of such goods and services."US Senator Lindsey Graham has said President Trump has “greenlit” the bill, raising concerns in New Delhi over the potential fallout for India’s energy imports. A version of the bill released in April 2025 includes a provision allowing the president to "waive the 500% tariffs for a period of up to 180 days with respect to a country, goods or service if he determines it is in the national interest of the United States."Despite the tensions, the US remains India’s largest trading partner. “The US remained India's largest trading partner for the fourth consecutive year in 2024–25, with bilateral trade valued at $131.84 billion ($86.5 billion exports). The US accounts for about 18 per cent of India's total goods exports, 6.22 percent of its imports, and 10.73 percent of its total merchandise trade. According to exporters, the agreement is important as India's merchandise exports to the US declined for the second consecutive month in October, falling by 8.58 percent to $6.3 billion due to the hefty tariffs imposed by Washington.”The stalled trade negotiations and escalating tariff threats have added to uncertainty over the trajectory of India–US economic ties, even as both sides continue to describe the relationship as strategically important.