PM Modi, Trump Likely To Meet On June 17 At G7 Summit In France, Says White House

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump are likely to hold a bilateral meeting on June 17, on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France. The White House officials confirmed that Trump is set to hold a string of high-profile meetings in France, where the US President will sit down with leaders from India, France, Egypt, the UAE, Qatar and other Middle East countries. The engagement between world leaders is expected to focus on regional security, energy cooperation and the evolving situation in West Asia, making the G7 a key diplomatic stop for Washington’s outreach in the region.

The planned meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron comes as host of the summit, while the proposed sit-down with PM Modi reflected Washington’s interest in coordinating with key partner on trade, defence and strategic issues.

The meeting between the two leaders will take place at a crucial time, when both countries are wrestling with trade negotiations and fresh maritime tensions. It will be their first in-person engagement since February 2025, when PM Modi had travelled to Washington after Trump’s victory in the November 2024 presidential election.

The confirmation from Washington signalled that PM Modi and President Trump will use the international gathering to take stock of ties at a time when global trade, energy security and regional stability remain in focus. As leaders arrive in France, the schedule of one-on-ones is keenly awaited for signals on US policy, alliance management and whether Washington intends to navigate multiple flashpoints from the Gulf to the Indo-Pacific.

According to experts, the proposed meeting between PM Modi and Trump is expected to offer an opportunity to push forward discussions on technology, defence cooperation and the India-US trade partnership. Further, it is also a chance to coordinate with a key Indo-Pacific partner as the G7 debates issues ranging from economic resilience to supply-chain diversification. The White House noted that the meeting is planned for the sidelines of the summit, making clear that it will be a focused, working-level engagement rather than a standalone state visit.

PM Modi To Join G7 Summit In France

Prime Minister Modi will join the summit on June 16-17 at the invitation of French President Macron. During his stay, the PM is expected to interact with G7 leaders, partner nations, and international bodies on various issues ranging from global partnerships to sustainable economic growth and the responsible rollout of artificial intelligence (AI). The visit positions India as a prominent voice of the Global South at a forum traditionally dominated by advanced economies.

However, the atmosphere surrounding the talks with Trump is tense, as since their last meeting, India-US relations have been tested by Washington’s steep tariffs on Indian exports, Trump’s repeated assertions that he helped defuse the India-Pakistan conflict in May 2025, a claim New Delhi has rejected outright, and India’s continued oil trade with Russia. Adding to the strain are recent US strikes on oil tankers carrying Indian seafarers off the coast of Oman, which have drawn a sharp diplomatic response from New Delhi.

Trade Agreement Key Agenda

The US officials asserted that the long-running trade deal will be a key focus of the bilateral discussion. “We signed a joint framework agreement earlier this year and have been engaged in intensive negotiations with India over the past year,” a White House official said, while talking to reporters. The official termed India and the United States as natural economic partners with scope to deepen commerce, pointing to opportunities for higher US exports in energy, industrial goods and certain agricultural products.

The official noted that PM Narendra Modi has been “quite ambitious about the role he envisions for India and the importance of the US–India relationship”. Though the expectations of a breakthrough at the summit are limited. “President Trump would not agree to any deal unless it is a very good deal,” the official said, adding that the agreement was unlikely to be finalised in France.

The White House official further said, “We believe a very good deal is possible. Further technical discussions are required, but the leaders will have an opportunity to take stock of where things stand and how forward-leaning both sides are willing to be in closing the deal in the coming weeks.”

Talks Shadowed By Seafarers’ Deaths

The bilateral talks will take place against the backdrop of escalating conflict in West Asia and its economic fallout for India. Tensions have sharpened after US forces targeted several tankers carrying Indian crew in the Gulf of Oman. On June 8, the Palau-flagged Marivex with 24 Indian seafarers was disabled by American forces, though all were rescued safely. Two days later, the US struck another Palau-flagged vessel, MT Settebello, killing 3 Indians, including deck cadet Aditya Sharma, engine fitter Shivanand Chaurasiya and chief engineer Patnala Suresh, among the 24 on board. A third ship, the Guinea-Bissau-flagged Jalveer, carrying 20 Indians, was attacked on June 11.

Following the fatalities, New Delhi lodged a strong protest and summoned the US Charge d’Affaires. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) conveyed deep concern over lethal force against civilian shipping, warning that such attacks undermine the safety and stability of international maritime commerce. Though India has urged dialogue and diplomacy to restore peace, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly defended the strikes during a call with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday, insisting Washington would not tolerate breaches of its blockade at the Strait of Hormuz.

PM Modi’s France And Slovakia Tour

PM Modi’s G7 participation will happen between visits to France and Slovakia, with him beginning his tour in France on June 14 with bilateral talks alongside President Macron, where the 2 leaders will review the India–France Special Global Strategic Partnership, recently elevated to its highest tier. They will jointly inaugurate ‘Bharat Innovates’, a flagship platform showcasing startups and venture capital from India, France and other partners under the India–France Year of Innovation.

After the summit, PM Narendra Modi will travel to Paris on June 18 for further bilateral engagements and the VivaTech Summit, Europe’s largest technology and startup gathering. He is also expected to address the Indian diaspora in France.

The second leg of his tour will be a historic state visit to Slovakia at Prime Minister Robert Fico’s invitation, the first by an Indian premier since Slovakia’s independence in 1993, where delegation-level talks will cover trade, investment and manufacturing. According to the government, the tour explained India’s deepening cooperation with Europe on innovation, digital transformation and sustainable growth, while its G7 presence outlines New Delhi’s role as a leading Global South voice.