India, Jan. 9 -- With trade negotiations between India and the US still underway, a key close aide of US President Donald Trump has made a big claim on why a possible deal between the two countries fell through. US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick has said that he "set a deal up", but it couldn't get finalised as Prime Minister Narendra Modi "didn't call" Donald Trump.

"It's all set up, but I said I gotta have Modi call the President...they were uncomfortable doing it, so Modi didn't call," Lutnick said during a podcast interview with entrepreneur Chamath Palihapitiya, recalling the negotiations.

Lutnick later said that India and the US were very close to finalising a deal but New Delhi was "on the wrong side of the see-saw".

Lutnick ...