G7 Summit: PM Modi And US President Trump Share First Handshake In 16 Months

France: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in the French commune of Evian-les-Bains on Tuesday. It was their first face-to-face meeting in 16 months. The two leaders shook hands warmly and exchanged a brief conversation as world leaders gathered for the summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. A formal bilateral meeting between the two is scheduled for Wednesday at 6.15 pm IST.

How they met?

Visuals from the summit venue showed Modi greeting Trump with a broad smile before the two took their seats at the Outreach Session. The two leaders sat next to each other during the session. The moment carried weight given everything that has happened between the two countries in recent months.

How was the photoshoot moment?

World leaders came together for the traditional group photograph at the G7. Modi, Trump and Macron were all in the front row. Others in the frame included European Council President Antonio Costa, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK PM Keir Starmer, Canadian PM Mark Carney, Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Macron personally welcomed Modi at the venue before the photo was taken.

What Wednesday's talks will cover?

The bilateral on Wednesday is the main event. Senior White House officials said a trade deal could come up for discussion. It is not expected to be finalised at the meeting itself but both sides will go deep into technical discussions. The India-US trade deal has been in the works for months and both sides are trying to narrow the gaps.

A relationship under stress?

The Modi-Trump meeting is happening against a difficult backdrop. India-US ties have taken several hits in recent months. Washington imposed steep tariffs on Indian exports. Trump repeatedly claimed credit for ending the India-Pakistan military standoff in May 2025, something New Delhi has consistently rejected. Then last week three Indian sailors were killed after a merchant vessel off the Oman coast was attacked. India lodged a strong protest. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited India last month and both sides have been trying to patch things up since. Wednesday's bilateral will be watched closely to see how much ground the two sides can cover.