NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with US President Donald J. Trump on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian on Wednesday, where the two leaders reviewed progress in Indo-US relations and discussed key global developments, including the situation in West Asia.
During the meeting, Modi commended Trump for efforts that had led to an understanding aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in West Asia and restoring peace and stability across the region. He also emphasized the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and uninterrupted commercial activity through the Strait of Hormuz, while underscoring the need to ensure seafarers’ safety.
The leaders reviewed progress under the India-US COMPACT (Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce and Technology), launched following their February 2025 meeting in Washington. They welcomed developments in defence cooperation, strategic technologies, energy collaboration, and bilateral trade, according to an External Affairs Ministry statement.
Both sides expressed satisfaction over the advancement of negotiations for an interim Bilateral Trade Agreement and directed officials to work towards concluding a balanced, mutually beneficial, and commercially meaningful pact at the earliest. The leaders noted that US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is scheduled to visit India next week in connection with the ongoing discussions.
Modi and Trump also reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and expanding cooperation across sectors for the benefit of both countries and their people.
Earlier in the day, the PM addressed the Outreach Session on “Ensuring a Safe, Rapid and Efficient Rollout of Artificial Intelligence” at the G7 Summit.
Highlighting the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence, Modi said the technology could redefine the course of human civilisation but must remain focused on empowering people. Referring to India’s recently hosted AI Impact Summit, he outlined India’s human-centric or MANAV (human) vision for AI, stressing that the technology should be guided by the principles of inclusivity, security, and public good.
Describing cyberspace as a global public good, Modi said democratic countries should have access to AI models capable of securing critical information infrastructure and addressing cyber threats. He called for an integrated approach to AI development that balances safety, speed, and efficiency.
The PM proposed four measures to advance responsible AI deployment: ensuring AI systems are safe by design; establishing common standards, testing frameworks, and regulatory guidelines; strengthening global cooperation to tackle deepfakes, misinformation, and cyber fraud; and extending the benefits of AI to countries in the Global South to promote inclusivity.
