PM Modi Meets President Trump at G7 Summit in France After 16 Months

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump exchanged pleasantries and shook hands at the G7 Summit today. Visuals from the summit showed the two leaders shaking hands before interacting briefly, marking their first in-person encounter in more than 16 months.

A formal bilateral meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, PTI said. Modi will also hold several other sideline discussions during the French gathering.

Modi is holding bilateral meetings with the leaders of Canada, the UK and the UAE, Bloomberg reported. Side discussions will focus on trade, strategic cooperation and regional developments.

Analysts said the meetings are unlikely to yield major announcements. They highlight India's strategy of expanding diplomatic and economic alliances while strengthening ties with major global powers.

A Sixteen-Month Gap

The last face-to-face meeting between Modi and Trump occurred at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in February 2025. They held a brief bilateral discussion alongside other multilateral engagements.

India is attending the G7 Summit as an invited partner country, alongside Brazil, Kenya, South Korea and the UAE. The G7 comprises France, the US, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the UK.

Summit discussions cover global economic challenges, active wars, and initiatives to encourage peace in the West Asia.

Maritime Tension

This meeting came amid India's strong protests with the US over repeated strikes on Indian-crewed commercial vessels in the Gulf of Oman, following three such incidents this week that left three Indian mariners dead.

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said last week that he had spoken with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. However, Rubio defended the attack without showing any condolences or remorse for the Indian lives lost in the attack in a statement.

The statement has triggered a backlash in India. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi even called out Modi's silence, labelling him a “compromised PM” and “an obedient servant” to Washington.