Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump are set to hold wide-ranging bilateral talks on Wednesday on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, with a focus on advancing a proposed trade agreement and strengthening cooperation in defence, energy and critical minerals.
The meeting, their first in-person interaction in 16 months since talks at the White House in February 2025, comes amid efforts by both nations to rebuild ties following a period of diplomatic strain. The leaders briefly interacted on Tuesday during a gathering of G7 leaders, setting the stage for discussions on key bilateral and global issues.
Relations between India and the United States had faced challenges in recent months due to Washington’s imposition of higher tariffs on Indian goods, changes to immigration policies, increased H-1B visa fees, and differences over President Trump’s repeated claims that the US played a role in ending last year’s India-Pakistan military tensions. New Delhi has consistently maintained that the cessation of hostilities resulted solely from direct talks between India and Pakistan.
Tensions escalated further last week after three Indian sailors were killed when US military forces struck three merchant vessels off the coast of Oman, alleging violations of a blockade on Iranian ports. India strongly protested the incident, summoning the US charge d’affaires and describing the attacks on commercial ships carrying Indian crew members as unacceptable.
Addressing a G7 outreach session on Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi stressed the importance of ensuring secure maritime routes and safeguarding seafarers operating across global shipping lanes.
The Modi-Trump meeting is expected to review the full spectrum of bilateral relations, including ongoing negotiations for a trade pact that could pave the way for a broader comprehensive economic agreement. The two leaders are also likely to discuss energy security, developments in West Asia, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and other pressing geopolitical issues.
Prime Minister Modi arrived in France after concluding a two-day visit to Slovakia. India is participating in the G7 Summit as a guest nation alongside the world’s leading advanced economies.
