The big Modi-Trump meeting may happen as early as next month

Few meetings between world leaders evoke as much buzz and interest as those between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Donald Trump. Ever since their momentous meeting at the White House in February last year, the two leaders have somehow not managed to cross paths at major global summits. However, the two "great friends" may eventually come face-to-face at the G7 Summit in France next month. Read Full Story A pull-aside meeting cannot be ruled out -- especially given the unpredictable style of Trump. But will it smooth out the trade bump between India and the US? We have to wait for June to find out. While India is not a permanent member of the G7, it regularly participates in the annual summits as a special invitee. This year, French President Emmanuel Macron invited PM Modi to the June 15-17 G7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains. But the story doesn't end here. There is a reason why the headline of the report calls it "the big Modi-Trump meet". PM Modi at the White House during his bilateral meeting with Trump in 2025 THE TURBULENT MODI-TRUMP TIES The duo last met in February 2025 when PM Modi became one of the first world leaders to visit the White House following Trump's return to office. At the high-profile meeting, which came against the backdrop of tariff tensions, Trump called PM Modi a "great friend", and the two pledged to double US-India trade to $500 billion by 2030. But trouble boiled over in May after the India-Pakistan hostilities. Trump, blinded by his goal to get the Nobel Peace Prize, unilaterally claimed credit for the ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Every nook and corner he went, the US President would blurt out how he prevented the nuclear-armed countries from going all out through his trade threats. While Pakistan massaged his ego by singing paeans to Trump, India and PM Modi called him out, making it clear that the ceasefire was forged directly with Islamabad. The two leaders were expected to meet again on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada in June last year. However, Trump left the summit abruptly. The meeting had to be cancelled. However, Trump invited PM Modi to stop over in Washington on his way back from Canada. However, India declined the request as PM Modi had a scheduled visit to Croatia. However, an NYT report, quoting government officials, said there was concern that Trump might attempt to push PM Modi into a photo-op with Pakistan's Army chief Asim Munir, who was invited for lunch at the White House at the same time. TARIFF AND TRADE TENSIONS In the following months, the India-US ties reached their lowest ebb, partly due to PM Modi's refusal to do Trump's bidding. The US imposed 25% reciprocal tariffs and an additional 25% for India's purchase of Russian oil. Trump and his attack dogs like Scott Bessent and Peter Navarro repeatedly castigated India, alleging that its purchase of Russian oil was funding Moscow's war machine against Ukraine. The tariff tantrums were essentially a desperate bid by Trump to get India to agree to a trade deal skewed in the US's favour. However, throughout, PM Modi maintained a stony silence and did not bend to Trump's bullying. He also avoided global events in Sharm El-Sheikh and the Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur, where he could have bumped into the US President. An uptick in ties came in September as Trump wished PM Modi on his birthday. Trade talks also gained momentum, and a framework was reached in February this year. Tariffs were also reduced to 18%. The familiar "friend of mine from India" phrase was back in Trump's posts and remarks to reporters. But the Iran war and the US Supreme Court's order striking down global tariffs halted the signing of a formal trade deal. The two leaders last spoke on April 17 over a 40-minute phone call. It was the third phone call between the two leaders this year. While the exact details of the call has been kept under wraps, PM Modi and Trump reviewed bilateral ties and the situation in Middle East. "I had a very good talk with him and he is a friend of mine from India and he's doing great," Trump told reporters on the call. It is against this backdrop that Trump and PM Modi are likely to come face-to-face in France at the G7 Summit. It is expected that the optics alone will grab global attention. But beyond the possible smiles, handshakes and familiar bonhomie, the real test for PM Modi and Trump will be whether both sides can move past recent tensions over trade and tariffs. Even a brief pull-aside conversation could set the tone for the next phase of India-US ties. Ends