The face-to-face meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump at the G7 summit in France has caught the attention of world politics. Instead of the usual hug, the two leaders exchanged formal handshakes‘L. Even during the group photo shoot, there was no eye contact or exchange of greetings between the two. This shows that there is currently some cooling in bilateral relations between India and the US.
Relations between the two countries have been strained in recent months due to various reasons. US imposed tariffs on IndiaTightening of immigration policies and consequent disadvantage of Indian students and workers. Also, the recent death of three Indian sailors in the US attack in the Gulf of Oman has complicated the relationship. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on the stage of the G-7 summit that the world lacks resources, but trust. He also pays special attention to the safety of sea routes and the safety of seamen’s lives.
There are also some differences between the two countries on defense and economic issues. India is concerned over the delay in the supply of Indian fighter jet engines by US aircraft manufacturers. The US has released a controversial map removing the Indian Ocean from the name of its military command.
Despite all these challenges, Wednesday H“Everyone is looking forward to a bilateral meeting between the two leaders. The US president recently congratulated Modi on social media, calling him the longest serving and a great prime minister. Political experts say the meeting will discuss stalled trade deals and other important issues. It remains to be seen whether the bilateral meeting will revive the personal friendship between the two and give a new direction to India-US relations.