India, Jan. 9 -- The India-US trade deal could not be completed because Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not call President Donald Trump to secure it, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Thursday. Lutnick added that while the Trump administration had been keen to sign an early deal with India, New Delhi "couldn't get it done when they needed to".

"It was all set up. But you had to have Modi call President Trump. They [India] were uncomfortable doing it. So Modi didn't call," Lutnick said on the All-In Podcast, a popular technology and business podcast.

There was no immediate response from Indian officials to Lutnick's comments .

Lutnick explained that after Washington agreed to a trade agreement with the United Kingdom (UK) in Ma...