Trump Assures Support to India in Case of Attack

United States President Donald Trump has assured India that America would support it in the event of an attack. The assurance was given during a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, held after a gap of around 16 months on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian, France.

 

The meeting took place amid several important developments affecting India–US relations, including tensions arising from the recent G7 meeting, trade-related concerns, proposed tariffs, and India’s growing engagement with Pakistan. Despite these issues, the discussion between the two leaders was described as warm and friendly.

 

During the meeting, President Trump repeatedly praised Prime Minister Modi and described him as a “great leader.” He said India had a strong friend in Washington and expressed confidence that the relationship between the two countries would continue to strengthen.

 

Prime Minister Modi raised the issue of Indian sailors who were stranded in Yemen due to the ongoing conflict situation. Trump assured Modi that the United States would extend help in this matter. He said that America was ready to assist India in bringing the sailors back safely.

 

India Raises the Issue of Stranded Sailors

 

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Prime Minister Modi drew President Trump’s attention to the condition of Indian sailors trapped in Yemen. A few days earlier, a cargo ship had reportedly been hit in Yemen’s Hodeidah region, leading to the death of three Indian sailors. After the incident, questions were raised in India about the safety and repatriation of the remaining Indian sailors.

 

President Trump assured that the United States and its allies were working together to keep the Hodeidah route open. He said the free movement of Indian sailors was important for the global economy and that America was helping affected people across the world.

 

Trump Praises Modi, Says India Has a True Friend

 

Trump praised Modi’s leadership and said that he had received a warm welcome during his visit. Referring to Modi, Trump said he was a strong and respected leader and that India would not have to worry as long as it had a friend in the United States.

 

When asked by reporters about trade-related concerns and possible tariffs, Trump responded in his own style and said that India had no complaint against him. He added that there were no major problems between India and the United States and that both countries enjoyed a cooperative relationship.

 

However, the two leaders did not make any major announcement after the meeting. Still, officials indicated that the meeting helped reduce tensions that had emerged in bilateral relations during recent months.

 

Defence and Trade Issues Discussed

 

The discussions were attended by senior officials, including National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and other senior representatives. From the American side, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Deputy Foreign Minister Christopher Landau were present.

 

The two sides discussed defence cooperation, trade, regional security and the situation in West Asia. Trump was reported to have repeatedly raised concerns about restrictions imposed by India on American products. These tariffs had earlier been a source of discomfort for India.

 

The two leaders had last held a bilateral meeting on 13 February 2025. Since then, several international and strategic issues had created uncertainty in the relationship. The latest meeting was seen as an attempt to restore confidence and address pending concerns.