New Delhi, Jan. 9 -- The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday said it had been close to a trade deal with the United States on several occasions, and the characterisation by the US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick about it was "not accurate."

"On several occasions, we have been close to a deal. The characterization of these discussions, the reported remarks, is not accurate," MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at the weekly presser.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump have spoken over phone on several occasions over the past year, covering different aspects of wide ranging partnership between India and the US, Jaiswal said.

"We have seen the remarks. India and the United States were committed to negotiating a ...