India, Jan. 9 -- As trade negotiations between India and the United States remain under intense scrutiny, New Delhi has firmly rejected claims that talks slowed down due to a lack of direct communication between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that the two leaders have spoken multiple times this year, underscoring sustained high-level engagement despite unresolved differences over tariffs and the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

The clarification came after remarks by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested that India-US trade talks lost momentum because Prime Minister Modi did not reach out to President Trump. While the MEA did not directly name Lutn...