PM Modi and Trump had 8 phone calls in 2025: MEA says Commerce Secy Lutnick's remarks on trade deal 'not accurate'

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said that it is closely following developments on the US' proposed bill on additional tariff for buying Russian oil.

The statement came on Friday and the MEA added that India's energy procurement is guided by market dynamics to ensure energy security of the people.

Reacting to the comments made by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick that the long-awaited India-US trade deal did not happen because Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not call President Donald Trump, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said "characterisation of discussions in reported remarks is not accurate."

Adding that both the countries were close to a trade deal on several occasions, Jaiswal said India remains interested in mutually beneficial trade deal with US.

"PM Modi and President Trump have spoken on phone on eight occasions in 2025," he said.

US President Donald Trump has backed a bipartisan bill targeting countries doing business with Russia with up to 500% tariffs on imported goods, as per Republican ​Senator Lindsey Graham. India has been the second-largest buyer of Russian crude after China.

(With Reuters inputs)