New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third leg of France-Slovakia is expected to be eventful, with a two-day G7 meeting scheduled for June 16 and 17 in France. He will also hold a meeting with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 meet — ahead of the finalisation of the trade deal with the US.
The meeting also comes days after the death of three Indian mariners on a commercial ship targeted by the US navy in the Strait of Hormuz. The meeting will be held at 2.45 pm local time on Wednesday — which will be at 6.15 pm Indian time. At 3.30 pm local time, President Trump will brief the media.
PM Modi-Trump Meet
The White House had announced the meeting last week, saying it will be part of a series of President Trump’s engagements with world leaders. The meeting will be the first bilateral engagement between the two leaders since Operation Sindoor — which changed the course of the regional security dynamics.
The two leaders had met last in February 2025 in Washington, DC, although they have had multiple telephonic interactions, especially since the war in Iran broke out. The personal ties between them have been warm despite hiccups like the tariff issue.
Last week, as PM Modi completed 12 years in office, President Trump was among the world leaders who congratulated him.
“Congratulations to my friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on becoming India’s longest-serving Prime Minister – and a Great One he is!” Trump wrote.
Trade Deal
India-US ties — strained over the US imposition of tariffs on Indian goods – had improved in recent weeks. A senior US official said President Trump and PM Modi would have a good opportunity to take stock of the trade talks, but further technical discussions would likely be needed to close a deal.
It is expected that though the deal may not be finalised during the meeting, some technical discussions may take place. US officials said substantial work is pending before the agreement can be finalised.
“President Trump’s approach always is we won’t have a deal unless it’s a very good deal. We think a very good deal is possible. I don’t think we’ll close that deal at the G7. I think we have further technical discussions to accomplish,” an official had said.
India is pushing for preferential tariff treatment as part of negotiations on an interim trade deal. Union minister Piyush Goyal had said last week that the first tranche of a bilateral trade agreement could be concluded by mid-July.
Earlier this month, Trump had expressed confidence that Washington and New Delhi will reach a trade agreement soon. “We will get to a deal because I like your prime minister a lot. He is a good friend of mine, and we get along well,” Trump had told reporters at the White House.
India At G7
PM Modi and President Trump will be at the 52nd G7 Summit, which is being held in the scenic spa town of Evian on June 15 and 16. The premier G7 bloc comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The European Union has been part of the G7 since 1981. India attends most summits as a guest nation.
“India’s presence at the G7 reflects the trust our partners place in us and our growing global profile. This is the eighth consecutive G7 Summit to which India has been invited. At the G7, India will not only speak for itself, but it will also give voice to the aspirations of the Global South,” PM Modi has said.
The US officials had told reporters that President Trump intends to use the gathering to promote economic growth, strengthen supply chain resilience and encourage wider adoption of artificial intelligence technologies.
G7 Focus On Iran
While discussions in G7 summits usually revolve around economy, technology and climate, this time the Iran and Ukraine wars can feature in the discussions, especially in the backdrop of President Trump’s sharp disagreement with the European leaders over the war in Iran.
Trump did not consult France, the UK, Italy and Germany over the decision to go to war and, in a pushback, threatened to draw down US troops in all four countries for their lack of support.
The demining of the Strait of Hormuz is expected to figure in the agenda.
French President Emanuel Macron said today that France was ready to move within days to deploy assets, including mine-clearing vessels, to the region to help.
Britain and France have also expressed interest in assisting with the demining once the conflict is paused. The mining of the area by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards is among the key reasons the tanker traffic has come to a halt.
Trump’s Sidebars
Besides PM Modi, the world leaders President Trump is expected to meet over the next two days include French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Than and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
