Modi and Trump Meet at G7 Amid Outrage Over Indian Sailors' Deaths
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump met on Wednesday at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in France, in a bid to ease tensions after U.S. missile strikes killed three Indian sailors in the Strait of Hormuz. The meeting, their first face-to-face in over a year, came amid mounting anger in India over the deaths and the U.S. response.
According to multiple reports, Modi raised the issue of seafarers' safety directly with Trump, emphasizing the importance of protecting hundreds of thousands of Indian nationals working on commercial vessels in key maritime routes. In his public remarks, Modi praised Trump's efforts toward a peace deal with Iran and expressed confidence that the safety of seafarers would be prioritized in its implementation.
Trump, for his part, described the meeting as "great" and praised Modi, calling him a "tough negotiator" who loves both the Indian people and the United States. He also said he would visit India, though no timeline was given.
The meeting occurred against the backdrop of a U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which began in April as part of efforts to pressure Iran economically. Last week, U.S. forces fired missiles at the Palau-flagged MT Settebello, killing three Indian crew members. The deaths were the first fatalities since the blockade began.
The U.S. government's initial statement on the strike did not mention the deaths, instead confirming that forces had targeted a vessel allegedly violating sanctions and being "uncooperative." This omission, along with a lack of apology or condolences, has fueled outrage in India, where headlines over the weekend read "No apology from Washington."
Indian officials responded with strong protests, summoning a senior U.S. diplomat and issuing a statement from Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who said "such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified." Jaishankar also spoke directly with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, but Rubio's readout of the call did not include condolences, instead reaffirming that "violations of the U.S. blockade and the illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated."
The families of the deceased sailors have demanded answers and called for the remains to be brought back to India.
Analysts note that while the incident has strained relations, both sides have larger issues to manage, including trade disputes and regional security. Harsh Pant, vice-president at the Observer Research Foundation, told the South China Morning Post that he did not expect the fallout to spiral, given the broader context of the bilateral relationship.
During the meeting, Modi also emphasized the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open for the global economy and called for joint efforts to ensure freedom of navigation. He said that "hundreds of thousands of Indian seafarers are working across global maritime trade routes, and their safety is of utmost importance to us."
Trump's remarks, which described commercial vessel operations as "a rough profession," drew criticism from some quarters for seeming to downplay the deaths. However, he also said, "We love all of those people, and they're great people," while asserting that Washington and New Delhi continue to "work together" on the issue.
The meeting at the G7 summit in the French commune was seen as an opportunity to reset ties after a year of tensions over tariffs, Pakistan, and now the Iran war. While the immediate crisis may be contained, the U.S. response to the sailors' deaths will likely remain a sore point in bilateral relations.