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New Delhi: On the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his US counterpart, Donald Trump, on Tuesday for a meeting for the first time in almost 16 months. The talks took place during the sensitive times of the deaths of three Indian sailors in US military strikes on commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz.
Prior to the meeting, Modi emphasized a “trust deficit” in the world today and how trust is the greatest asset in international relations. His words appeared to be a veiled allusion to the recent India-U.S tensions.
The safety of Indian Seafarers working in the Gulf region was one of the major issues brought up during this meeting. Modi noted that countless Indians ocean-going professionals make their living and that they rely on safe shipping lanes. He called for more measures to guarantee ships’ security and trade channels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which is one of the world’s transit corridors.
The concern is a reflection of a string of military maneuvers by the United States against Iran in the Gulf recently. Three Indian sailors lost their lives when an Indian crewed tanker was hit off the coast of Oman. In India, the incident was strongly protested by the nation, and an account was sought.
Aboard ship, sailors are “a rough profession,” as Trump put it, as “happened in the past,” as he explained about the deaths of those Indian sailors. He also said the U.S. would remain close to India and support Indian interests. But his comments brought about the spotlight since he did not directly apologize for the deaths.
Both leaders tried to put a friendly face on their relationship in spite of the strains. Trump called Modi a strong leader and a tough negotiator, Modi meanwhile said that India-US relations had added new speed and new energy in recent years. Trade was another of the big subjects of the talks. The two countries were “very close” to concluding a trade deal that would help ease tensions around tariffs and bolster economic cooperation, Trump said. The meeting brought to the forefront the challenges and opportunities of India-US relations. The deaths of sailors have left tensions, but they have stepped up their dialogue with one another on trade, security, and regional stability.
English (US) ·