MEA rebuts US claim amid India–US FTA and tariff tensions
January 9, 2026: The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to US President Donald Trump eight times in 2025, amid reports of strained ties between New Delhi and Washington over tariff issues and a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The clarification came after US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested that trade talks were stalled because PM Modi had not reached out to President Trump.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal rejected that characterisation, stating that India and the US have been committed to negotiating a bilateral trade agreement since February 13, 2025. He said multiple rounds of talks have taken place and that the two sides had come close to a deal on several occasions. “The description of these discussions in the reported remarks is not accurate,” Jaiswal told reporters.
Emphasising the broader relationship, Jaiswal said Modi and Trump have discussed various aspects of the India–US partnership during their eight phone conversations this year and share a friendly rapport. He added that India remains keen on concluding a balanced and mutually beneficial trade deal between the two economies, and that engagement between the leaders has always been marked by mutual respect.