Serious CECA Leader Modi refused to call Trump hence no trade deal!

[Pinkieslut]

India-US trade deal stalled after Modi did not call Trump, Lutnick says​

Reuters
Fri, 9 January 2026 at 4:40 PM SGT
2 min read

U.S. President Trump holds a joint press conference with Indian Prime Minister Modi at the White House in Washington D.C.​

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during a joint press conference with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 13, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
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NEW DELHI, Jan 9 (Reuters) - India's trade pact with the United States was delayed because Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not make a telephone call to President Donald Trump to close ‌a deal they were negotiating, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Friday.

The trade talks ‌fell apart last year and Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods in August to 50%, the world's highest rate, including a levy of 25% in retaliation for India's purchases of Russian oil.

"It's all set up and you ⁠have got to have ‌Modi call the President. And they were uncomfortable doing it," Lutnick said in an interview on the All-In podcast, ‍a U.S. show by four venture capitalists that focuses on business and technology.

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"So Modi didn't call."

The comments came after Trump stepped up the pressure for talks with a warning this week that tariffs could rise further unless ‌India curbs its Russian oil imports.

That step pushed the Indian rupee to a record low and spooked investors waiting for progress in two-way negotiations for a trade deal that remains elusive.

India still seeks a tariff rate between Washington's offers to Britain and Vietnam that had formerly been agreed ⁠but the offer has expired, Lutnick added.

India's trade ministry did not immediately respond to an e-mailed request for comment on Lutnick's remarks.

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New Delhi and Washington were very close to a trade deal last ‍year but a ⁠communication breakdown led to the collapse of any potential pact, Reuters reported.

It cited an Indian government official involved in the talks as ⁠saying that Modi could not have called Trump, for fear that a one-sided conversation ‌would put him on the spot.

(Reporting by Shivangi Acharya in ‌New Delhi; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

 

[Leongsam]

This shows just how powerful Trump is. Don't mess with the Don you'll live to regret it.

I hope he swoops in and arrests that crook Ah Neh for all the fake degree CECAs he's exported to the USA over the last decade or more.

 

[birdie69]

This shows just how powerful Trump is. Don't mess with the Don you'll live to regret it.

I hope he swoops in and arrests that crook Ah Neh for all the fake degree CECAs he's exported to the USA over the last decade or more.

Modi would call LHL to enhance the CECA agreement instead, let more hundreds of thousands CECA Indians in Sindiapore

 

[myfoot123]

This shows just how powerful Trump is. Don't mess with the Don you'll live to regret it.

I hope he swoops in and arrests that crook Ah Neh for all the fake degree CECAs he's exported to the USA over the last decade or more.

Bad idea!!! They will escape and take cover in Singapore.

 

[Leongsam]

Bad idea!!! They will escape and take cover in Singapore.

Many are already in Singapore. Ask Ramesh he has the numbers. You can also check with Uptron.