US-India Trade Deal Stalled Because Modi Didn’t Call Trump, Commerce Chief Says

Indian exports to the United States are currently under a 50 percent tariff, including a penalty on India’s purchases of Russian oil.
US-India Trade Deal Stalled Because Modi Didn’t Call Trump, Commerce Chief Says
U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet in the Oval Office on Feb. 13, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Bill Pan
Bill Pan
Reporter
|Updated:
0:00

A proposed trade deal between the United States and India stalled because Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not call U.S. President Donald Trump to finalize it, according to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

During a Jan. 8 episode of the “All-In” business podcast, Lutnick described Trump’s approach to negotiations as a “staircase,” where “the first stair gets the best deal.”