US Minister: Modi Didn't Call Trump, India-US Trade Deal Failed Due to Ego

• US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claims India-US trade deal failed because PM Modi didn't call then-President Donald Trump directly.
• Lutnick stated Trump finalizes deals personally and expects direct communication from other leaders.
• He cited UK PM Keir Starmer's direct call to Trump as an example of how deals were quickly finalized.
• India reportedly expressed discomfort in calling Trump, and by the time they wanted to resume talks, the 'train had left the station' as US had made deals with other nations.
• The deal's failure means Indian exporters face high tariffs (approx. 50%) to the US, hindering potential relief.

Why It Matters: Direct leader-to-leader communication was crucial for the India-US trade deal, its absence led to failure.