Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump are set to hold wide-ranging talks on Wednesday, with the proposed bilateral trade deal, defence cooperation, energy security and critical minerals expected to top the agenda as both sides seek to stabilise ties after months of strain.
The meeting comes a day after Modi and Trump exchanged pleasantries and held a brief conversation at a gathering of G7 leaders in the French commune of Evian-les-Bains, their first in-person interaction in 16 months. Their last face-to-face meeting took place at the White House in February 2025, shortly after Trump's second inauguration.
The high-level engagement assumes significance as New Delhi and Washington work to rebuild relations that came under pressure following the US decision to impose punitive tariffs on India and Trump's repeated claims that he played a role in de-escalating the India-Pakistan military clashes in May last year.
Over the following months, Trump publicly asserted that he had helped prevent a full-scale war between India and Pakistan and saved millions of lives. India, however, consistently maintained that the cessation of hostilities resulted from direct talks between the two countries and that the US had no role in the process.
The relationship was further affected by Washington's new immigration policy and its decision to increase H-1B visa fees.
Despite the differences, both countries have made efforts in recent months to repair ties, including advancing negotiations on a mutually beneficial trade agreement. Following US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to India last month, the two sides intensified diplomatic engagement aimed at strengthening the partnership.
However, relations faced fresh challenges last week after three Indian sailors were killed in US military strikes on commercial vessels off the coast of Oman.
Addressing a G7 outreach session on Tuesday, Modi underscored the importance of maritime security and said all countries must ensure that sea routes remain safe and that seafarers can perform their duties without fear.
The deaths occurred after US military action targeted three merchant vessels. In response, New Delhi summoned US Charge d'Affaires Jason Meeks and conveyed that the American military's “lethal and deadly” strikes on commercial vessels carrying Indian crew members were “unacceptable”.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also raised the issue with Rubio. The US Central Command said it launched operations against three vessels — Marivex on June 8, Settebello on June 9 and MT Jalveer on June 11 — alleging that they were attempting to violate the US blockade of Iranian ports.
During Wednesday's talks, Modi and Trump are expected to review the full spectrum of bilateral relations, including progress on the trade negotiations and initiatives aimed at deepening defence cooperation.
The proposed trade pact is seen as a key step towards a broader bilateral trade agreement envisioned during Modi's visit to Washington in February last year.
The two leaders are also likely to discuss major geopolitical developments, including energy security, the crisis in West Asia and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Modi arrived in Evian-les-Bains after concluding a two-day visit to Slovakia. India is attending the G7 summit as a guest country.
The Group of Seven (G7) comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, with the European Union also participating. The forum serves as a platform for major economies to coordinate responses to key economic, financial and geopolitical challenges.