Évian, France: US President Donald Trump made a strong statement in support of India during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, saying that the United States would come to India’s assistance if the country were attacked. The remarks were made during a media interaction following bilateral talks between the two leaders.
Responding to a question about India-US defence ties, Trump said the relationship between the two countries was exceptionally strong and added that the United States would stand by India in the event of an attack. He went a step further by personally referring to Modi, stating that if anyone attacked India while Modi remained the country’s leader, America would be there to help.
The comments came during a meeting that focused on trade, regional security and maritime safety. Trump repeatedly praised Modi, describing him as one of the toughest negotiators he has dealt with and highlighting the growing strategic partnership between Washington and New Delhi. He also indicated that trade negotiations between the two countries were progressing positively and suggested that a deal could be finalized soon.
Prime Minister Modi, meanwhile, raised concerns about the safety of Indian seafarers working on international shipping routes, particularly in and around the Strait of Hormuz. He emphasized that hundreds of thousands of Indian sailors contribute to global maritime trade and that their protection remains a priority for India.
The meeting took place against the backdrop of recent strains in India-US relations, including trade disputes, sanctions-related issues and the deaths of three Indian sailors in a US military strike on a tanker in the Gulf region. Despite these challenges, both leaders projected a message of continued cooperation and strategic alignment.
Trump also expressed optimism about the future of bilateral ties, saying that India would continue to play a major role on the global stage under Modi’s leadership. His remarks were widely seen as a reaffirmation of the importance Washington places on its relationship with New Delhi amid evolving geopolitical dynamics in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
Although the United States and India do not have a formal mutual defence treaty, the two countries have significantly expanded defence cooperation over the past two decades through military exercises, intelligence sharing, defence technology initiatives and strategic agreements. Trump’s statement is therefore being viewed as one of the strongest public endorsements yet of the India-US strategic partnership.
