The Pulse | Diplomacy | South Asia

No Reset at G7: Trump Was Trump, Modi Was Not Modi

The Modi-Trump meeting revealed the limits of India’s willingness to speak with moral clarity when confronted with American power.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump meet on the sidelines of the G-7 summit at Evian, France, June 16, 2026.

U.S. President Donald Trump finally met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G-7 summit after a 16-month hiatus. During this period, according to many observers of India-U.S. relations, the bilateral relationship has deteriorated significantly. A partnership that had been gaining momentum took rapid strides in the opposite direction – most recently (and most tragically) with the killing of three Indian sailors by the U.S. military.

Much was expected from their meeting on the sidelines of the G-7 summit at Evian in France. It offered both leaders, and both countries, an opportunity to press the reset button and acknowledge the deeper structural reasons for them to remain partners. Their relationship rests on shared strategic interests, expanding economic ties, robust people-to-people relations, and a broad convergence on the need to ensure that China’s rise does not destabilize the global order.

Despite the fact that Trump and Modi are right-wing populist leaders who often override democratic and pluralist values, both the United States and India continue to invoke democracy and pluralism as part of their global identity. These shared values can further cement their partnership. The G-7 meeting was a chance to arrest the drift, repair trust, and restore purpose to what former President Joe Biden once described as one of the most consequential relationships in world politics.

Unfortunately, like U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to India in May, this meeting too, in my opinion, failed to move the needle. There were no significant commitments from either side. But we saw a different Modi: less confident, more subdued, restrained in his body language, and surprisingly eager to please.

In the few minutes that he spoke, Modi made only two substantive points. First, he emphasized the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and free for trade and commerce. Second, he reminded Trump that hundreds of thousands of Indians serve as mariners across the world, and that their safety must be kept in mind as the United States pursues peace arrangements in West Asia.

Beyond that, however, Modi’s remarks consisted largely of repeated praise for Trump’s peace initiatives. He congratulated the U.S. president for supposedly bringing peace, stability, and a new ray of hope to West Asia. As I watched the bilateral meeting, I had the uncomfortable, even disquieting, thought that Modi might end his remarks by promising to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. It felt almost surreal — like watching an episode of “The Twilight Zone.”

Trump, on the other hand, remained entirely true to form. He praised Modi, but even his compliments were backhanded. He called Modi an “angel,” but also described him as a “killer” when it comes to negotiations. He then proceeded, once again, to present himself as the indispensable peacemaker, claiming that he had brought peace to eight conflicts — one of which, by implication, was India and Pakistan. Modi, remarkably, said nothing in response.

Trump also trivialized a question about the defense partnership. He said, casually, that of course he would defend India if it were attacked, but then added that this would be true as long as Modi remained India’s leader. The implication was absurd but revealing: if India were led by someone else, would American support become conditional? Was the defense........

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