Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised concerns over the safety of seafarers and called for protections to be included in any future peace deal involving Iran during talks with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France on Wednesday.
The meeting in Evian-les-Bains was the first formal bilateral engagement between the two leaders in 16 months and came amid efforts to steady ties strained by trade disputes and broader geopolitical differences. The two leaders last met in-person at the White House in February 2025, weeks after Trump's second inauguration.
Modi's comments come amid heightened concerns over maritime security following US attacks on three vessels carrying Indian crew members off the coast of Oman last week, leading to the deaths of three Indian seafarers.
The prime minister reiterated the importance of safeguarding global shipping lanes, protecting Indian seafarers and called for safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
"We have always said that freedom of navigation should be ensured and we should also stress upon that. Lakhs of Indian seafarers are on duty in different seas of the world in the sector of maritime trade. I believe that their security is equally important...I am confident that in the deal (with Iran) security of seafarers will be ensured and prioritised," Modi said.
The PM also praised Trump's efforts to ease tensions in West Asia and advance peace initiatives in the region. "I commend you for your leadership on the progress in peace efforts in West Asia," he said.
Meanwhile, Trump highlighted the growing strategic and economic partnership between the two countries, while also underscoring his personal rapport with the Indian leader.
"We had some great meetings in France... It's a G7. We have a G2 coming up, and then we have a G20 coming up... We had, in particular, some very good conversations with Prime Minister Modi of India. We're doing trade deals... A lot of things are happening between the United States and India. The United States is doing the best we've ever done. We have over $19.2 trillion coming in, and we're building factories, we're building everything. The Prime Minister is building a lot in the United States. He's spending a lot of money in the United States, so we appreciate that job," Trump said.
"But I just want to say he's been my friend for a long time now, and we've always had a great relationship, and it's great to be with you," he added.
Notably, Wednesday's meeting comes a day after Modi and Trump briefly interacted on the sidelines of the G7 summit amid strained bilateral ties. The two leaders exchanged pleasantries and held a short conversation at a gathering of G7 leaders. While details of the exchange were not disclosed, the encounter set the stage for Wednesday's high-stakes talks.
Ahead of the meeting, Trump praised Modi, describing him as "calm", "cool" and a "total killer". The US president used the phrase to highlight what he said were Modi's negotiating skills and political resilience despite his understated public persona.
Notably, relations between the two countries deteriorated in the months following the February 2025 meeting between the two leaders after Washington imposed punitive tariffs on Indian goods and President Donald Trump repeatedly claimed credit for helping defuse military tensions between India and Pakistan during their clashes in May last year.
The US president said his intervention had helped avert a wider conflict, a claim New Delhi firmly rejected, maintaining that the cessation of hostilities resulted from direct talks between the two neighbours.
Washington's tighter immigration policies and an increase in H-1B visa fees further added to bilateral tensions. However, both sides have sought to repair ties in recent months. Following US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to India last month, officials renewed efforts to strengthen cooperation and advance negotiations on a trade agreement.
The relationship came under fresh strain last week after three Indian seafarers were killed when US military strikes hit merchant vessels off the coast of Oman. Following the incident, India summoned US Charge d'Affaires Jason Meeks and described the attacks on commercial vessels carrying Indian crew members as "unacceptable".
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also raised the matter with Rubio.
Against this backdrop, Modi used his remarks at a G7 outreach session on Tuesday, and again during his talks with Trump, to underline the need for secure maritime routes and the safety of seafarers operating in international waters.
