Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit 2026, in Evian on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: ANI

US President Donald Trump said that the India-US trade deal was “very close” to being finalised, but maintained that the talks have been at this stage for a while as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a “very tough negotiator”.

“We’ve been there for a little while and he’s a very tough negotiator, one of the toughest, actually,” Trump said answering questions on the India-US trade deal at his bilateral meeting with Modi on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Evian, France, on Wednesday.

The bilateral meeting took place between the two leaders after 16 months amid tension over the recent killing of three Indian mariners by US forces, who attacked their ships off the coast of Oman.

Modi raised the issue of safety of seafarers in his meeting with Trump, by stressing on its importance. “We have always said that freedom of navigation should be ensured and we should also stress upon that. Lakhs of Indian seafarers are on duty in different seas of the world in the sector of maritime trade. I believe that their security is equally important...I am confident that in the deal (with Iran) security of seafarers will be ensured and prioritised...” Modi told Trump.

There was no direct confrontation between the two leaders on the killing of the three Indian mariners, but when questioned by the media, Trump said he “loved them”, and that it was a “rough profession”.

“I heard about the Indian sailors. It’s a rough profession. We love all those people,” Trump said.

Trump’s branding of Modi as a “very tough negotiator” is indicative of India taking its time to stamp an interim deal. The US Section 301 investigations against India are still on and could result in penalties.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is scheduled to visit New Delhi on June 23-24 to push the interim deal towards conclusion, but India wants more clarity and certainty on the US tariff front and also an assurance that it will gain a competitive edge over rival countries such as Bangladesh and Vietnam, sources said.

On US-India defence ties, Trump said it was a “great relationship” and while there was no official contract, Washington would help India if attacked.

He joked that the US would definitely protect India under Modi, but there was no guarantee if there was another leader. “If they were attacked, we would be there to help them…If anybody attacks that man (Modi), we’re going to be there but if there’s a new leader, I’m not sure about that”, he said.

Praising Modi, Trump said: “He’s the most beautiful looking man. He looks so nice. He’s like an angel, but actually he’s a killer. I don’t want to use that word, killer. He’s as tough as they come, but he looks so good. So he gets you by surprise.”

Published on June 17, 2026