India on Friday rejected US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s statement claiming that the trade deal with Washington was not finalised owing to PM Narendra Modi not calling US President Donald Trump,

The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is expected to come into force in the first half of 2026, heralding a new era of economic partnership, British Deputy High Commissioner Andrew Fleming said.

In 2025, India emerged as a frontrunner in global trade diplomacy, securing key Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with the UK, Oman, and New Zealand to counter rising US tariffs.

Lutnick said, "India remembers the deal we agreed to. I remember it. They tell me you agreed to this deal. I told them I agreed then. Not now."

Indian exporters of products ranging from home decor to leather shoes are worried about missing the US summer shopping season if they are unable to lock in orders in January as trade-deal talks drag on between New Delhi and Washington.

The US imposed punitive tariffs of up to 50 per cent in August and disrupted what is usually the busiest winter and Christmas season for Indian exporters in 2025.