India Plays Cautious With Trump

Top government officials on Monday said India adopted a "cautious approach" during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with US President Donald Trump on the margins of the G7 Summit in France's Evian this June, considering his "unpredictable behaviour".

Reacting on the comments made by US Ambassador Sergio Gor during an event over the weekend where he stated that India had "specifically requested" the US side to avoid any joint interaction with the media following the meeting between the two leaders, government officials aware of the matter highlighted that discussions regarding arrangements for public appearances of leaders are normal practice ahead of any VVIP visit.

"In this regard, the Indian side communicated its standard practice for such visits... Delegations when meeting the US President are wary about his unpredictable behaviour, as may be seen from his interactions with the President of South Africa, Ukraine etc. Thus, the cautious approach by India," said one official.

During the June 18 meeting in Evian, Prime Minister Modi had commended President Trump for his efforts that had resulted in an understanding to end the ongoing conflict in West Asia and restore peace and stability across the broader region. He had also underlined the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and unimpeded commerce in the Strait of Hormuz and the need to ensure the safety of seafarers.

"The two leaders reviewed the substantial progress achieved under the India–US COMPACT (Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce and Technology) since their meeting in Washington DC in February 2025. They welcomed key developments across the defence, strategic technologies, energy, and bilateral trade sectors," read a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) after the meeting.

"The leaders noted with particular satisfaction the significant progress made in negotiations towards an interim Bilateral Trade Agreement and instructed their officials to work towards a balanced, mutually beneficial, and commercially meaningful agreement at the earliest," it added.

Both leaders had also reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and advancing cooperation across all domains for the mutual benefit of the two countries and their peoples.