Evian-les-Bains:
The meeting followed a brief exchange between the two leaders after the G7 family photograph on Tuesday. By Wednesday, the two sides were engaged in detailed discussions on trade, energy, defence, West Asia and maritime security, with the proposed India-US trade agreement high on the agenda.
The White House had earlier said the meeting would focus on advancing the bilateral trade deal. Sources said the agreement is in its final stages, with both sides working to conclude negotiations in the coming weeks. India and the US had reached an interim trade understanding in February after a year of talks.
PM Modi commended Trump for his leadership in peace efforts in West Asia and underlined the importance of keeping critical maritime routes open, especially the Strait of Hormuz.
“We have always said that freedom of navigation should be ensured,” Modi told Trump, adding that lakhs of Indian seafarers are on duty across the world’s seas as part of global maritime trade. He said their safety must remain a priority in any arrangement linked to peace and security in the region.
The remarks came amid concerns over instability in West Asia and disruptions to maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most crucial routes for oil and gas supplies. Modi had raised similar concerns during the G7 Outreach Session, warning that disruptions in the waterway had affected the global economy and that several Indian civilians had also lost their lives.
Referring to the death of three Indian seafarers in a recent incident near the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said the US and India would continue to work together on the issue.
Trump said India had a major role to play in West Asia under Modi’s leadership. “India plays a big role in everything. As long as he is the leader, India is going to play a big role,” he said.
The US President also praised Modi as a “tough negotiator” and said India and the United States shared a strong relationship. “As long as I am President, India has a great friend in the White House,” Trump said, adding that “everyone here loves India” and has “tremendous respect” for Modi.
On trade and investment, Trump said “a lot of things are happening” between the two countries and pointed to India’s investments in the US. He said Modi was “building a lot in the United States” and “spending a lot of money” there.
Asked about India’s energy purchases from the US, Trump said India could “do anything they want” with America, adding, “We have the best relationship. We cannot be closer than we are.”
The two leaders also discussed defence ties. Trump described the India-US defence relationship as “great” and said the US would stand with India in the event of an attack.
The talks also touched upon the Russia-Ukraine war, possible sanctions on Russia, and the US-Iran understanding. Trump said Washington was assessing sanctions while watching oil prices, and added that the agreement with Iran was a detailed memorandum that could move towards a formal contract.
The bilateral comes after a period of strain in ties, including differences over tariffs and Trump’s earlier claim about ending the India-Pakistan conflict following Operation Sindoor. The two leaders last met in person at the White House in February 2025.
PM Modi is in Evian-les-Bains at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron. This is India’s 13th appearance at the G7 Summit as a partner country and Modi’s seventh consecutive participation in the forum.
On the sidelines of the summit, Modi also held bilateral meetings with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. In his meeting with Carney, the two leaders reviewed progress in bilateral engagement and discussed strengthening cooperation in trade, energy, innovation, education and people-to-people ties.
STANDALONE
Evian-les-Bains: France has described India’s invitation to the G7 Summit as “extremely important”, underlining the depth of ties between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron as well as the expanding strategic partnership between the two countries.
Speaking exclusively to NewsX on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France, French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreau said India’s presence reflected the strength of the bilateral relationship, which has grown across culture, innovation, defence and military cooperation.
“This invitation is extremely important in our view,” Confavreau said, referring to India’s participation as a special invitee. He said the partnership between India and France had expanded significantly in recent months and years across multiple sectors.
He noted that Prime Minister Modi’s visit began on Sunday with a full day of engagements with President Macron in southern France, where the two leaders discussed several aspects of the bilateral agenda.
Confavreau said those discussions were now continuing in the G7 format at Evian, where leaders were addressing key global issues, including Ukraine, the Middle East and economic imbalances.
He said Prime Minister Modi was taking part in a leaders’ discussion on correcting global economic imbalances, a subject France considers important for both Europe and India.
Asked about speculation over the possible expansion of the G7 to include India, Confavreau said the immediate focus was on enabling leaders to discuss ongoing crises and build consensus on global challenges.
He said France wanted leaders to first agree on the reality of the current situation and then work together on possible solutions.
Confavreau also referred to President Macron’s recent “summit of convergence”, which brought together countries present at Evian along with China, the OECD, the IMF and the World Bank to discuss global economic challenges and ways to address them.