Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian, France on Wednesday, 17 June, describing a 'new momentum and energy' in India-US relations while pressing for the safety of Indian seafarers and the continued openness of the Strait of Hormuz. The bilateral meeting — their first in-person engagement since a summit in Washington last February — comes amid active negotiations on a possible trade agreement and ongoing diplomatic efforts to stabilise West Asia.

What Modi Said on India-US Relations

'The last time we met in Washington. After that, there has been a new momentum in our relations. There has been a new energy. And, in many ways, we are moving forward together,' Modi said. He added that both countries' teams were 'moving forward very fast' toward mutually agreed targets, calling it 'a matter of joy' that the two nations were working in tandem.

The White House had flagged ahead of the meeting that the two leaders would discuss economic growth, supply chains, artificial intelligence, investment partnerships, and a range of global security challenges.

Modi Commends Trump on West Asia Peace Efforts

Prime Minister Modi praised President Trump for what he described as 'tremendous efforts' toward reaching an agreement with Iran to resolve the ongoing regional crisis. 'A new hope for peace and stability in the region has been rekindled and I am confident that this will lead to a longstanding peace in the region,' Modi said.

He also underscored the shared strategic interest in keeping the Strait of Hormuz open: 'You and I agree that keeping the Strait of Hormuz open is vital for the global economy. India has consistently emphasised the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation and we should work together with particular emphasis on this issue.'

Indian Seafarers' Safety Raised at the Highest Level

In a pointed reference to India's maritime workforce, Modi highlighted that 'hundreds of thousands of Indian seafarers' are deployed along global maritime trade routes, including through the Strait of Hormuz. 'Their safety and security are of utmost importance to us,' he said, urging that seafarer welfare receive the 'highest priority' during implementation of any Iran agreement.

This is notably one of the few instances where seafarer welfare has been raised directly in a bilateral summit context, reflecting the scale of India's dependence on safe passage through the Gulf for both its workforce and its energy imports.

Context: Trade Talks and a Shifting Bilateral Agenda

The Evian meeting is the latest in a series of high-level engagements between New Delhi and Washington that have gathered pace since the February summit. Talks on a bilateral trade agreement remain ongoing, with both sides reportedly working to resolve differences on tariffs and market access. The G7 sideline format — informal and relatively unconstrained by protocol — is seen as conducive to frank exchanges on sensitive issues including technology transfer and defence supply chains.

Analysts note that the India-US relationship has entered a particularly active phase, with convergence on Indo-Pacific security, semiconductor supply chains, and clean energy investment all on the table simultaneously.

What Comes Next

No joint statement was issued following the Evian meeting. Both governments are expected to continue working-level negotiations on the trade framework in the weeks ahead. The trajectory of the Iran agreement — and its implications for Gulf shipping lanes — will remain a key variable shaping India's foreign policy calculus through the rest of 2025.