PM Modi And Donald Trump To Hold High-Stakes Talks At G7 Summit To Repair India-US Ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump will hold wide-ranging talks on Wednesday to expedite a proposed bilateral trade deal and strengthen cooperation in the defence, energy, and critical minerals sectors, following a period of heightened diplomatic strain.

The high-stakes meeting comes a day after the two leaders exchanged pleasantries and held a brief conversation at a gathering of G7 leaders in the French commune of Evian-les-Bains. Marking their first in-person encounter in 16 months since meeting at the White House in February 2025, the interaction sets the stage for negotiations aimed at rebuilding bilateral ties following a series of trade, immigration, and security disputes, PTI reported.

According to PTI, relations between New Delhi and Washington witnessed a major downturn after the US imposed punitive tariffs on India and President Trump made controversial assertions regarding his role in de-escalating the India-Pakistan military clashes last May. Over the subsequent months, the US president repeatedly and publicly claimed that he had resolved the military conflict between the two neighbours and saved millions of lives as it was heading toward a full-scale war. New Delhi stoutly maintained that the cessation of the hostilities was a result of talks between India and Pakistan, and that the US involvement had nothing to do with it. Washington's new immigration policy and its decision to increase H-1B visa fees also contributed to the slide in ties.

While both sides made efforts in recent months to repair the relationship—bolstered by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to India last month—the ties came under fresh strain last week. Three Indian sailors were killed following the US military's attacks on three merchant vessels off the coast of Oman. The US Central Command stated it initiated action to disable the three vessels—Marivex on June 8, Settebello on June 9 and MT Jalveer on June 11—saying they were trying to violate the US blockade of Iranian ports.

In response, New Delhi summoned the US charge d'affaires Jason Meeks and told him that the American military’s “lethal and deadly” strikes on commercial vessels with Indian crew members is “unacceptable”. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also raised the issue with Rubio. Speaking at a G7 outreach session on Tuesday, PM Modi emphasised that all countries must ensure that maritime routes remain secure and that seafarers can perform their duties without fear.

During their upcoming meeting, the two leaders are expected to take stock of the entire gamut of bilateral ties, including the ongoing negotiations for the trade pact, which is viewed as an important step towards a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement envisaged during PM Modi's visit to Washington DC in February last year. PTI reported that the leaders may also exchange views on pressing geopolitical issues, including energy security, the West Asia crisis, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

PM Modi arrived in Evian-les-Bains after concluding a two-day trip to Slovakia. India was invited as a guest country to the summit of the G7, which brings together seven of the world's most advanced economies—Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, alongside the European Union—to coordinate responses to major global economic, financial, and geopolitical challenges.

(With inputs from PTI)