Evian (France], June 17, 2026: US President Donald Trump, as a sign of unwavering
support to India, stated that Washington will help India if the nation is attacked,
provided Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the leader.
During a bilateral meeting at the sidelines of the 52nd G7 Summit, Trump lauded the
defense relations between India and US and affirmed support precisely for the PM
Modi-led nation during conflict situations.
“I think it is a great relationship. If they were attacked, we would be there to help
them. We don’t have a contract, but if they are attacked and he (PM Modi) is the
leader, we are going to be there to help. If anybody attacks that man, we are going to
be there. If there is another leader, I don’t know about that, but if they are attacked
and he is the leader, we are going to help”, Trump said.
The two leaders were seen shaking hands after US President’s act of friendship and
support for PM Modi.
Furthermore, the US President also recognised himself as a “great friend” of India,
adding that the Indian Prime Minister is well respected in Washington.
“As long as I am President, they (India) have a great friend in the White House.
Everyone here loves India and they have tremendous respect for this (PM Narendra
Modi) man,” he said.
The two leaders met at the G7 Summit in France, their first in-person talks in 16+
months, a move past trade and geopolitical tensions and steadying the relationship
between the two democracies. It started with a warm handshake at Tuesday’s G7
outreach.
By Wednesday, PM Modi and Donald Trump were in serious talks. And Trump even
called the Prime Minister “calm and cool.”
The White House had earlier confirmed that the meeting would focus heavily on
advancing the proposed India-US trade agreement.
Earlier sources also said that PM Modi and Trump were likely to discuss the situation
in West Asia, the strategic Strait of Hormuz, energy imports from the United States
and the proposed bilateral trade agreement during their meeting on the sidelines of
the G7 Summit in France.
The sources also said both countries are keen on building a long-term energy
partnership, with discussions expected to focus on strengthening cooperation in the
energy sector amid concerns over disruptions to global supply chains caused by
tensions in West Asia.
The proposed India-US trade deal is in its final stages, with negotiations progressing
steadily and work on the agreement expected to be completed in the coming weeks.
The two nations reached an interim trade agreement earlier in February after a year
of talks. The meeting assumes significance as instability in the Strait of Hormuz
continues to impact global energy markets and maritime trade.
The narrow waterway remains one of the world’s most critical shipping routes,
handling a substantial portion of global oil and gas supplies.
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Experts from the Asia Society Policy Institute gave the Trump-Modi meeting a plus.
Wendy Cutler — Senior Vice President, ASPI, said, “The Trump-Modi meeting on the margins of the G7 was a necessary step in getting our bilateral relations back on track. Importantly, USTR Greer will visit India next week, which provides the perfect opportunity to wrap up the first phase of bilateral trade negotiations. Each of these steps will help repair the bilateral relationship, which should be a strategic and economic priority for the Trump administration.
Farwa Aamer — Director of South Asia Initiatives at ASPI, said, “There were a lot of eyes on the meeting given the Trump and Modi were coming face to face after a year of strained ties giving way to an evident trust deficit in the bilateral dynamic. PM Modi took the opportunity to assert the need for trust building ahead of the bilateral meeting.”
Aamer continued, “While there were no major outcomes and that was expected, there was reassurance that the trade deal is close. On U.S.-India defense, Trump shared that the U.S. would help India if it was attacked,”
“But the fact that the two leaders met helps stabilize some of the relationship optics. Does it fully restore the trust? Maybe not, but the leadership level engagement sets a positive pace for the two countries to work toward shared interests.”