Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the upcoming 52nd G7 summit in France. The June 17 huddle will be the first in-person meeting between the two leaders since the US imposed tariffs on India.
The last time Modi and Trump met was during an official visit to Washington, DC, in February 2025, one month after Trump inaugurated his second term of presidency.
The two leaders were expected to meet on the sidelines of last year's G7 summit in Canada. But Trump left the summit early on June 16, 2025, citing the escalating Israel-Iran tensions during last year's 12-day war and a need to monitor the crisis from the Situation Room. He eventually cancelled bilateral meetings scheduled with Modi and several other leaders like Australian PM Anthony Albanese and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Will Modi, Trump discuss trade deal during meeting?
US officials quoted by ANI said the potential trade deal could come up during the bilateral meeting. "President Trump's approach is always that we won't have a deal unless it's a very good deal. We think a very good deal is possible. We will not close that deal at the G7. We have further technical discussions to accomplish, but the leaders will have a good opportunity to touch base and take stock of where we are and how forward-leaning they want to be in closing a deal in the coming weeks," said the official.
Attacks on Indian-crewed tankers
One of the key sticking points during the meeting would be the recent US strikes on Indian-crewed oil tankers off the Oman shore. Three Indian seafarers lost their lives in the attack on Settebello, a Palau-flagged tanker. In protest, India summoned the US Charg d'Affaires twice.
H-1B visa norms
Though a US federal court recently struck down the $100,000 fee levied by the Trump administration on H-1B visas, recent changes made to green card and visa policies remain.
In May, Trump had courted controversy after resharing a social media post that referred to India as a "hellhole".
While leaving for France on Saturday, Modi said India will not only speak for itself during the G7 summit, but also give voice to the aspirations of the Global South. "I am confident that my visits to France and the Slovak Republic will reinforce India's deepening engagement with both Europe and the G7, and showcase our steadfast commitment to expanding the horizon of our partnerships with the continent and beyond," Modi said.
