Washington DC/IBNS, Jan. 9 -- US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has claimed that the proposed India-US trade deal could not be finalised because Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not place a call to US President Donald Trump.

Lutnick made the remarks during an interview on the All-In podcast hosted by American venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya.

He added that after the talks with India stalled, Washington moved ahead with agreements with other Asian nations. "That Friday passed, and in the middle of the next week we did Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, and announced a whole bunch of deals," Lutnick said.

Meanwhile, Trump has reportedly approved a sweeping bipartisan sanctions bill targeting Russia's trade partners,...