Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump said significant progress had been made in ongoing trade negotiations between the two countries after their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Evian, France, on Wednesday.
The talks marked the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since Modi visited Washington in February 2025, reports AFP .
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said both leaders welcomed the progress towards an interim Bilateral Trade Agreement and directed officials to work towards a “commercially meaningful agreement at the earliest”.
Speaking to reporters in Evian, Trump said the two countries were “very close” to reaching a trade deal. He described Modi as a strong negotiator, praising his ability to handle difficult discussions, reports India Today.
“He’s a very tough negotiator… You look at this man. I’ll give you a lesson. He’s the most beautiful-looking man. He looks so nice, like an angel,” Trump said.
The US president added that Modi’s calm appearance should not be mistaken for weakness.
“Actually, he’s as tough as he is a killer… But he looks so good. So he gets you by surprise. But there are a few people like this. People say he’s such a nice man. I said he’s very tough. He’s a tough trader,” Trump said.
He also said Washington would support New Delhi if India faced an attack, despite the two countries not having a formal defence agreement.
“We don’t have a formal (defence) contract… But if they (India) were attacked, we would be there to help,” Trump said.
He later added, “Now, if there is a new leader, I am not sure about it. But if they are attacked and he (Modi) is the leader, we are going to be there to help.”
During the meeting, Modi raised concerns over the safety of Indian seafarers following the deaths of three Indian sailors in a US strike on a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman on 10 June.
Modi said “lakhs of Indians” work as seafarers and stressed that their safety remained a priority amid the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. Trump offered condolences, saying both countries were working on the issue.
“It is a rough profession. We are working together on it,” Trump said.
The leaders also discussed broader economic ties, with both countries aiming to increase bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. Multiple rounds of negotiations have been held to address market access and tariff-related issues.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is scheduled to visit India next week for further discussions.
The trade talks began moving forward after both sides reached an initial understanding in February, but progress slowed following Trump’s tariff measures and subsequent US investigations into unfair trade practices involving several countries, including India.
India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said earlier in June that the first phase of the trade agreement was “about 99 per cent” complete.
The Middle East conflict also featured in the discussions as Modi highlighted the impact of disruptions in fuel, fertiliser and food supply chains on the Global South.
“The disruptions in fuel, fertiliser and food supply chains caused by the crisis… will continue to impact the Global South for a considerable period,” Modi said.
