Modi raised seafarer safety at G7 Summit in Evian, says Misri
Synopsis
At the G7 Summit in Evian, PM Modi made seafarer safety a diplomatic priority — arguing that hundreds of thousands of Indian mariners provide a global public good and deserve collective protection. Foreign Secretary Misri's briefing also flagged near-finalised India-US trade talks and India's welcome of the US-Iran deal, painting a picture of an India punching well above its partner-country status at the summit.
Key Takeaways
PM Modi raised seafarer safety in both G7 outreach sessions and bilateral meetings at the 52nd G7 Summit in Evian, France on 17-18 June .
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said hundreds of thousands of Indian seafarers 'provide a global public good' — making their safety a matter for the entire international community.
India welcomed the US-Iran agreement and called for a 'rapid return to peace and stability' in West Asia .
India and the US are in 'final stages' of an interim bilateral free trade agreement; US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will visit India the following week.
This was India's 13th G7 participation and Modi's seventh consecutive appearance at the summit.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday, 18 June said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi specifically raised the safety and security of seafarers during his bilateral meetings and interventions at the 52nd G7 Summit in Evian, France. Misri made the statement while briefing reporters in Paris, also noting India's hope for a swift return to peace in West Asia following the US-Iran agreement.
What Modi Said on Seafarer Safety
'We have always emphasised the importance of maintaining the freedom of navigation and unimpeded commerce through the international waterways in the region,' Misri told reporters, paraphrasing the Prime Minister's position. Modi, he said, highlighted that 'hundreds of thousands of Indian seafarers essentially provide a global public good by serving on maritime platforms that serve the global community and serve global maritime trade in a big way.'
The Foreign Secretary underscored that Modi raised the issue not only during his formal intervention at the G7 outreach sessions but also in his bilateral meetings with several world leaders — making it a recurring diplomatic thread across the summit.
India's Position on West Asia and the US-Iran Deal
Misri said India welcomed the understanding reached between the United States and Iran and expressed hope for a 'rapid return to peace and stability' in the region. Modi, during discussions with world leaders, reiterated India's consistent desire for sustained peace and security in West Asia.
This comes amid heightened global concern over maritime security in the region, where commercial shipping lanes have faced disruptions in recent months. India's emphasis on seafarer welfare carries particular weight given that Indian nationals constitute one of the largest national groups serving in global merchant shipping.
India-US Trade Agreement: Final Stages
Foreign Secretary Misri also disclosed that India and the United States have made 'significant progress' toward an interim bilateral free trade agreement. 'We are in the final stages of concluding that agreement,' he said. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is scheduled to visit India the following week to advance those discussions.
The trade pact was also a 'major subject of discussion' during the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Donald Trump in Evian. 'Both leaders once again gave instructions for this agreement to be concluded at the earliest possible,' Misri said.
India's G7 Participation
India was invited as a partner country to the 52nd G7 Summit — marking its 13th participation at the forum and Prime Minister Modi's seventh consecutive appearance at the summit. The invitation reflects India's growing role as a key voice for the Global South in multilateral settings.
With the US-Iran deal offering a potential de-escalation window in West Asia, the coming weeks will test whether diplomatic momentum can translate into durable maritime security — and whether the India-US trade agreement clears its final hurdles before Greer's New Delhi visit concludes.
Point of View
Giving India moral high ground without directly challenging any major power. But the real diplomatic weight at Evian was in the trade corridor: a near-finalised India-US interim deal, with Greer flying to New Delhi within days, suggests the two sides are racing a political deadline. The West Asia peace signal, meanwhile, is India hedging — welcoming the US-Iran thaw while keeping its own energy and diaspora equities intact. What mainstream coverage often misses is how India is simultaneously leveraging its Global South identity and its bilateral depth with Washington — a dual positioning that few countries can sustain.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did PM Modi say about seafarer safety at the G7 Summit?
PM Modi specifically raised the safety and security of seafarers during his interventions at the 52nd G7 Summit in Evian, France, and in bilateral meetings with world leaders. He argued that hundreds of thousands of Indian seafarers provide a global public good by supporting international maritime trade, and that their safety should therefore be a shared concern of the global community.
Why did India raise seafarer safety at the G7?
India is one of the largest suppliers of maritime labour globally, with hundreds of thousands of Indian nationals serving on international merchant vessels. Raising the issue at the G7 allows India to position seafarer welfare as a global public-goods argument, particularly relevant given recent maritime security disruptions in West Asia.
What is India's position on the US-Iran agreement?
India welcomed the understanding reached between the United States and Iran and expressed hope for a rapid return to peace and stability in West Asia. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri conveyed this position after PM Modi reiterated it during discussions with world leaders at the G7 Summit in Evian.
How close is the India-US bilateral trade agreement?
Foreign Secretary Misri said the two sides are in the 'final stages' of concluding an interim bilateral free trade agreement. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is scheduled to visit India the following week, and both PM Modi and President Trump directed their teams to conclude the deal at the earliest.
How significant is India's participation in the G7 Summit?
India was invited as a partner country to the 52nd G7 Summit — its 13th participation overall and PM Modi's seventh consecutive appearance at the summit. India engages at the G7 primarily as a voice for the Global South, raising issues relevant to developing economies alongside bilateral priorities.
