MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed a media convention in New Delhi on Friday
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ANI
India has rejected claims made by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick that the India-US commerce deal didn’t occur as a result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi didn’t converse to US President Donald Trump.
Dubbing the claims “inaccurate,” the MEA stated that Modi had, actually, spoken to Trump eight occasions in 2025 and on a number of events, India and the US got here near placing the commerce deal.
Official Denial
“India and the US have been dedicated to negotiating a bilateral commerce settlement with the US way back to 13 February final yr. Since then, the 2 sides have held a number of rounds of negotiation to reach at a balanced and mutually useful commerce settlement. On a number of events, we’ve been near a deal. The characterisation of those discussions within the reported remarks is just not correct,” MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated at a media briefing on Friday.
Lutnick had stated in an interview that India and the US have been near a deal, but it surely didn’t occur as a result of the Indian PM didn’t name the US President. Lutnick stated that whereas he would negotiate the contracts with the nations and set the entire deal up. “However let’s be clear, it’s his (Trump) deal. He’s the nearer. He does the deal. So I stated, “You bought to have Modi, it’s all arrange, it’s important to have Modi name the President.” They (India) have been uncomfortable doing it, so Modi didn’t name.” Lutnick stated.
The MEA spokesperson defended India’s Russian oil purchases, stating that international market situations and the necessity to present inexpensive vitality to 1.4 billion individuals form the nation’s technique.
He stated India is monitoring the Trump-led invoice proposing 500 per cent tariffs on Russian oil patrons, together with India, China, and Brazil.
Market pressure
The commerce tensions between India and the US have severely impacted the market, with the home equities kicking off 2026 on a weak footing, extending their shedding streak to a fifth straight session on Friday.
The US Supreme Courtroom ruling on the legality of Trump’s sweeping tariffs, imposed by invoking financial emergency, is anticipated so as to add to market volatility. International portfolio traders pulled out almost ₹12,000 crore in Indian equities in 2026, in line with NSDL knowledge.
On a optimistic word, Jaiswal stated India remained inquisitive about a mutually useful commerce deal between the “two complementary economies” and stay up for concluding it.
With inputs from Bengaluru Bureau
Printed on January 9, 2026
