US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed the India-US trade deal stalled because Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not call President Donald Trump. Lutnick stated the deal was set up but required leader-level engagement, which India was uncomfortable with, leading Washington to finalize deals with other nations like Vietnam and Indonesia at higher rates. India's Ministry of External Affairs rejected this characterization as inaccurate, noting that Modi and Trump spoke eight times in 2025 and that India remains committed to a mutually beneficial trade agreement.