PM Modi, Trump shake hands at G7 Summit in France; first meeting in 16 months
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump shook hands at the G7 Summit in Evian, France, marking their first public meeting in 16 months.
A warm handshake and a pat on the arm marked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump's first meeting in 16 months as the two leaders met at the G7 Summit in France's Evian-les-Bains on Wednesday. The high-profile encounter comes as New Delhi and Washington DC edge closer to a much-anticipated trade deal after months of friction over US tariffs on India.
Inside the summit hall in the French lakeside town of Evian, moments before G7 leaders took their seats around the conference table, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump shared a warm exchange that quickly drew attention.
PM Modi, dressed in a white kurta-pyjama and navy blue sleeveless jacket, walked towards his designated seat as leaders assembled for the session. Trump, in a navy suit and red tie, turned to greet the Indian Prime Minister, extending a handshake and exchanging a few words. As officials bustled around the room making final preparations, the two leaders exchanged a firm handshake and appeared to share a few light-hearted words before the proceedings began. Trump was seen patting PM Modi lightly on the arm, a gesture that reflected the personal rapport the two have cultivated over the years. Both men smiled as they spoke briefly amid the hum of conversations, clicking cameras and aides making final preparations around them.
The Modi-Trump interaction was among the most closely watched moments of the G7 Summit, marking the leaders' first face-to-face meeting since the Indian Prime Minister's visit to Washington in February 2025, shortly after Trump returned to the White House for a second term. The meeting came at a sensitive juncture for India-US ties, which have encountered turbulence in recent months amid differences over Operation Sindoor ceasefire and the Trump administration's tariff measures targeting Indian exports.
Against that backdrop, the optics of Evian carried their own significance. PM Modi was seated alongside Trump during the leaders' session. During the proceedings, Trump was seen making a double thumbs-up gesture while seated next to PM Modi.
HIGH-STAKES DIPLOMACY ON SIDELINES
PM Modi arrived in Evian on a two-day visit to participate in the summit. This marks PM Modi's seventh consecutive appearance at the G7 Summit, underlining India's growing role in global discussions.
On the sidelines of the summit, PM Modi's schedule is packed with high-level diplomatic engagements. He is set to hold a series of bilateral meetings, including talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The engagements are expected to focus on strengthening ties and discussing key regional and global issues. Later in the evening, he will join other world leaders at a gala dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.
The summit agenda is expected to focus on global economic stability, energy security, artificial intelligence, ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, and broader geopolitical developments.
India, though not a member of the G7, has become a regular participant in the forum. New Delhi is expected to use the platform to highlight the concerns of the Global South and push for greater cooperation on issues affecting developing nations.
A warm handshake and a pat on the arm marked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump's first meeting in 16 months as the two leaders met at the G7 Summit in France's Evian-les-Bains on Wednesday. The high-profile encounter comes as New Delhi and Washington DC edge closer to a much-anticipated trade deal after months of friction over US tariffs on India.
Inside the summit hall in the French lakeside town of Evian, moments before G7 leaders took their seats around the conference table, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump shared a warm exchange that quickly drew attention.
PM Modi, dressed in a white kurta-pyjama and navy blue sleeveless jacket, walked towards his designated seat as leaders assembled for the session. Trump, in a navy suit and red tie, turned to greet the Indian Prime Minister, extending a handshake and exchanging a few words. As officials bustled around the room making final preparations, the two leaders exchanged a firm handshake and appeared to share a few light-hearted words before the proceedings began. Trump was seen patting PM Modi lightly on the arm, a gesture that reflected the personal rapport the two have cultivated over the years. Both men smiled as they spoke briefly amid the hum of conversations, clicking cameras and aides making final preparations around them.
The Modi-Trump interaction was among the most closely watched moments of the G7 Summit, marking the leaders' first face-to-face meeting since the Indian Prime Minister's visit to Washington in February 2025, shortly after Trump returned to the White House for a second term. The meeting came at a sensitive juncture for India-US ties, which have encountered turbulence in recent months amid differences over Operation Sindoor ceasefire and the Trump administration's tariff measures targeting Indian exports.
Against that backdrop, the optics of Evian carried their own significance. PM Modi was seated alongside Trump during the leaders' session. During the proceedings, Trump was seen making a double thumbs-up gesture while seated next to PM Modi.
HIGH-STAKES DIPLOMACY ON SIDELINES
PM Modi arrived in Evian on a two-day visit to participate in the summit. This marks PM Modi's seventh consecutive appearance at the G7 Summit, underlining India's growing role in global discussions.
On the sidelines of the summit, PM Modi's schedule is packed with high-level diplomatic engagements. He is set to hold a series of bilateral meetings, including talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The engagements are expected to focus on strengthening ties and discussing key regional and global issues. Later in the evening, he will join other world leaders at a gala dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.
The summit agenda is expected to focus on global economic stability, energy security, artificial intelligence, ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, and broader geopolitical developments.
India, though not a member of the G7, has become a regular participant in the forum. New Delhi is expected to use the platform to highlight the concerns of the Global South and push for greater cooperation on issues affecting developing nations.
