- 7 weeks ago
This edition of Newstrack focusses on bilateral meetings between Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian, France.
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00:04The high-stakes handshake decoded.
00:11Narendra Modi raises real issues, refuses rhetoric.
00:27Donald Trump unleashes a praise parade, from like an angel to a tough negotiator.
00:36Beautiful looking man, he looks so nice, he's like an angel.
00:40But actually, he's as tough, he's a killer, I don't want to, he's a killer.
00:44As long as Modi leads India, message.
00:48I think India plays a big role in everything.
00:51As long as he's the leader, India's gonna play a big role.
00:56Tosti on display, but does trust travel.
01:01Praise, promises and power play, that's our top focus on India today.
01:17Good evening and welcome to this special broadcast where Geeta and I will be getting you all the highlights of
01:24that crucial meeting which has happened at the G7 on the sidelines of that between Prime Minister Modi and Donald
01:31Trump.
01:31But first, some breaking news coming in from France, from Avion, where President Trump has threatened Tehran ahead of deal
01:39signing.
01:41Trump again says, we'll go back to bombing Iran if deal doesn't work out.
01:46This is the biggest threat that's coming from President Trump ahead of the memorandum of understanding that is to be
01:53signed between the U.S. and Iran on Friday in Geneva.
01:57Donald Trump has said that if we hadn't made the deal, the Strait of Hormuz would not have happened.
02:05The opening would not have happened and the bombs would still be raining down continuously.
02:10Those are the words coming in from U.S. President just ahead of that crucial signing of the peace deal.
02:17How should this be read?
02:18We'll be cutting across to that press conference which is being addressed by Donald Trump in France.
02:25But a word on the signing of this crucial deal, Geeta.
02:30Who are likely to be present when the deal will be signed?
02:33Well, from the American side, it's Vice President J.D. Vance, who's leading the delegation.
02:38From the Iranian side, it's Speaker of the Parliament, Maria Ghalibov, who's going to be leading the delegation.
02:44But while President Trump continues to maintain that there's a third team that has now come into the negotiating table,
02:51I see Araqchi from day one up until now.
02:53So I don't see a change in the delegation per se, who's also going to be there in Geneva for
02:59the signing of the MOU,
03:01following which there are going to be 60 days of negotiations on two fronts, nuclear and sanctions.
03:07And if President Trump does not like the details of the agreement, he's saying and threatening that the war could
03:14restart.
03:15And interestingly, he has said that Netanyahu gets excited at times.
03:19He has been a good partner.
03:21But remember, there are talks of whether U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu are on the same
03:31page as far as the modalities of this peace deal is concerned.
03:35Let's listen in to this press conference and we'll be taking this conversation forward.
03:41And it's a memorandum of understanding. If it doesn't get done in 60 days, it's all right. We go back
03:46to bombing.
03:47You know, I don't want to do that because it's so good. But we might have to because we're never
03:54going to let them have a nuclear weapon.
03:56But they've agreed not to. And you'll see that very clearly in the agreement.
04:02I don't want to see economic catastrophe. That is the big takeaway. But he is also indicating that all is
04:09not well between him and Netanyahu.
04:11Absolutely. Two very important messages from this concluding press conference that President Donald Trump is holding right now before he
04:19departs from France.
04:20One is on Iran, threatening Iran with yet another war should the agreement not be to his liking.
04:27And secondly, asking Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stay off Lebanon, saying Syria can handle it.
04:34You don't need to, if you're going to bomb complete apartment buildings and kill civilians as well, because not everybody
04:42is Hezbollah.
04:43Very, very strong messaging by President Donald Trump there in France.
04:48Rohit Sharma, our colleague from Washington, D.C., joins us for the statements that are coming in.
04:54Rohit, very crucial statement that's coming in from France, threatening Iran just a day before the delegation is set to
05:01be in Geneva for the signing of the MOU.
05:05Yeah, I think, you know, this is this is classic President Donald Trump.
05:08You know, he has he's he's maintained these these lines of attack as he's given enough time for the negotiators
05:14to go on and discuss a deal.
05:16So I think, you know, not surprised, honestly, that he would say something like that, because, again, this is not
05:21a deal.
05:22This is MOU. He said it's a pretty comprehensive one because there was a lot of criticism about, you know,
05:28this is a one page agreement.
05:29And he went on to say, no, this is more comprehensive than that, also indicating the fact that one of
05:34the lines that we've seen from the MOU is that there would be a 60 day negotiation after the MOU
05:40is signed,
05:40where the both sides will tackle the most complicated issue about nuclear weapons and getting that uranium out of Iran.
05:50So I think maybe he's probably alluding to the fact that if Iran is not serious after signing the MOU,
05:57he might go back and do what's in the best interest of the United States, which, again, depends on, you
06:02know, which day you're talking to the president.
06:04So a lot still needs to happen. The good thing is the Strait of Hormuz would be open.
06:09That at least is the understanding once the MOU is signed in Sudan on Friday.
06:14I'm looking at what else the president has said. He has said that we'll have to work on the Lebanon
06:21peace.
06:21He goes on to say that Syrian leader would love to go in and get them with precision.
06:28He also says hopes to expand Abraham Accords. This is quite in line, Gita, with what U.S. president had
06:37said a couple of weeks ago
06:39when he said that the entire gamut of Abraham Accords will expand, which will include all the Islamic nations, including
06:48Egypt and also Pakistan.
06:50Well, that's right. And we did see some of the Arab countries come out and completely reject that proposal.
06:56At this point in time, Mariah, for the Arab nations to come and align themselves with Israel is certainly not
07:03going to be looked at in great light,
07:05not just when it comes to their own countries, the region, but also their own people.
07:10And that's the reason why a lot of countries are staying away.
07:12But yes, he's repeated it, Rohit, yet again, saying that Abraham Accord is something that needs to be expanded.
07:21And something that he believes that there could be long-lasting peace.
07:25We know there are nations that would not be willing to join the Abraham Accords.
07:29But at the end of the day, right, I think he's looking at this, making this bigger than, you know,
07:35again, in his mind,
07:37apparently getting to a peace forever in the Middle East.
07:41But I think, you know, and I go back to what I think Vice President J.D. Vance had said,
07:45and he said, I can't come on air and say Kumbaya at this point in time.
07:49There still needs a lot of work to be done.
07:52The MOUs first step, then we go and see how we negotiate with Iranians.
07:57And then there are the other aspects, you know, peace in the Middle East has never been easy.
08:01I think, you know, President Trump would want to have it.
08:04But realistically, I think if we could go back to pre-February where there is no war and Strait of
08:09Harmony is open,
08:09I think that would be a big, big, big win for President Trump.
08:13All right, Rohit, continue to be with us because we are shifting focus to the big bilateral which has happened
08:19in Avian in France.
08:22A handshake in France, some chatter around the world.
08:26The spotlight was firmly on two of the world's most watched leaders at the G7 summit.
08:32Well, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump, they both met.
08:37The duo met on the sidelines of the G7 summit during the meeting.
08:41Prime Minister Modi was seen exercising restraint.
08:44Cautious optimism is how many of them put it.
08:47Prime Minister Modi brought up the safety of Indian seafarers who make up 10% of global seafarers and stressed
08:54its importance.
08:55While Prime Minister Modi used the meeting to raise substantive concerns and push India's priorities,
09:01the U.S. President responded with a shower of praise, calling Narendra Modi everything from like an angel to a
09:09tough negotiator.
09:11He even called Prime Minister Modi a good-looking guy.
09:13Well, the praises were extraordinary in many ways than one, but something was still missing.
09:19A hug.
09:21That's right.
09:22Remember, missing gesture is often a great indicator of ties between leaders.
09:27So what does that mean?
09:28As praise, promises and power politics shaped Trump-Modi interaction,
09:33we decode whether this was merely symbolism on display
09:37or a strategic meeting with real consequences for India and the world.
09:41First up, let's listen in to what Donald Trump had to say about Prime Minister Modi.
09:51Trump, you said many a times that India has a great friend in the United States, in Washington, D.C.,
09:57in White House, till the time you are president.
09:59But some of your decisions recently caused trouble, concern in India.
10:03How would you like to assure people of India, the leader of India?
10:07Well, I said as long as I'm president, we have a great, they have a great friend in the White
10:12House.
10:13I don't know where there might have been trouble, but I don't think so.
10:17I can tell you, everyone here, they love India, they have tremendous respect for this man.
10:27Very close.
10:27We've been there for a little while and he's a very tough negotiator.
10:32He's one of the toughest, actually.
10:34So you look at this man, I'll give you a lesson.
10:37He's the most beautiful looking man.
10:39He looks so nice, he's like an angel.
10:41But actually, he's as tough as, he's a killer.
10:44I don't want to, he's a killer.
10:46He's as tough as they come.
10:47But he looks so good.
10:49So he gets you by surprise.
10:52But there's few people like this.
10:54People say, he's such a nice man.
10:56I said, no, he's very, he's very tough.
10:58He's a tough negotiator.
11:00And he loves the Indian people, but he also loves the USA.
11:03We had Howdy Moody in Houston, remember?
11:06And the stadium was full.
11:10He didn't always say Trump in India.
11:12That was great.
11:13And we'll be going to India.
11:18Do you expect India to play any role in West Asia?
11:21Yeah, I do.
11:22I do.
11:23I think India plays a big role in everything.
11:25As long as he's the leader, India's going to play a big role.
11:34I think it's a great relationship.
11:35I can tell you this.
11:37Without having a contract, we don't have a contract.
11:40You'd have to write contracts.
11:41But if they were attacked, we would be there to help them.
11:46How is that?
11:46Is that a good statement?
11:47Okay.
11:48Come here, man.
11:50If anybody attacks that man, we're going to be there.
11:52Now, if there's a new leader, I'm not sure about it.
11:56If there's a new leader, I don't know about that.
11:59But if they're attacked and he's the leader, we're going to be there to help.
12:05And joining us now here on the network, Afrana Upadhyay, my colleague who is in France,
12:10who covered the entire meeting, but also posed questions to President Donald Trump.
12:17And then Siddharth Zarabi, who will be joining us in a while from now.
12:22He's the managing editor of Business Today.
12:25Rohit Sharma continues to be with us from D.C.
12:27Rohit, decode what we are seeing on our screens.
12:30The body language and the words.
12:33Is it warmth?
12:35Is it reset?
12:36Or is it a bit condescending?
12:43Rohit, have you heard us?
12:47All right.
12:48We'll try and fix that line with Rohit.
12:51But Siddharth Zarabi is joining us.
12:53Siddharth, do we have enough indication now on the direction in which the trade deal is going?
13:00It's very positive, certainly it appears to be.
13:04And some kind of indication of timeline here, perhaps, Siddharth?
13:08The most difficult deals in the world have been resolved due to personal chemistry between the leaders who are negotiating
13:16it.
13:16My key takeaway really is the fact that nearly six months after the joint statement announcement,
13:23which had several specifics of a deal, we might finally now be closer to a deal.
13:30And that announcement and the fact that President Donald Trump has indicated without specifying the date,
13:35obviously, that he will soon be in India, provides us a hint of when this deal is likely to happen.
13:44Why has it not happened so far is a fundamental question that we might want to ask.
13:49But let's remember the fact that there is a USTR investigation where any negotiating party would not know what the
13:58USTR report would be,
14:00and that would fundamentally alter the specifics of that deal.
14:03And also the fact that the original framework under which President Trump has forced trade deals across the world,
14:10that has been struck down by the United States Supreme Court.
14:14So, it's not that the deal didn't happen because of any delays or obstructions or the fact that India wasn't
14:23willing to negotiate.
14:25These are the events that have taken place.
14:28And I think the key takeaway that we should take note of, and obviously, this will send out a very,
14:35very strong message,
14:37is that there is now a great deal of chemistry that was evident.
14:42And before I toss it back to you, you spoke about a hug.
14:46The fact that both leaders were sitting on chairs and they reached out, had they been standing,
14:53I guarantee you there would definitely have been a hug.
14:55Okay.
14:56But Siddharth, again, you know, a lot of the analysts we've been talking to through the hours before the meeting
15:03and after,
15:05really spoke about the words.
15:07It's positive words, looks like the two leaders are really intent in taking things forward in a positive manner.
15:13But with America, we've seen this in the past.
15:15In February, just ahead of the meeting with Prime Minister Modi, he announced the tariffs, a big press conference.
15:22Today, just before the meeting, they announced Indo being removed from the Indo-PAC and it's now become Pacific Command
15:30yet again.
15:30There's always something that you see happens before a crucial meeting such as this.
15:36How do you take then the signaling and then the words?
15:41Well, you know, frankly, the United States is still the number one power across the world.
15:47Its military projects deep reach across the world.
15:50There is no other military in the world that has such deep reach.
15:53Why do I say this?
15:55The United States and President Trump have been seeking to remodel the relationship of that nation
16:01with pretty much every single major economy across the world.
16:05President Trump's agenda may have succeeded, may have not succeeded.
16:09It is up to him and the US voters to decide.
16:12But as far as India is concerned, please take note of the fact that the rhetoric of the MAGA crowd,
16:20which sometimes translates into official announcements, has to be divorced and disconnected from what is officially being done.
16:28I believe that the repair of a strained relationship has happened very, very significantly.
16:36And remember, some of the things that India has done, including the strategic restraint,
16:42despite grave provocations, seem to have helped in this regard.
16:47One more quick point about the specifics of our economic engagement.
16:52Our dependencies on the external world, including China or the United States, are well known.
16:59We are not fully Atman Nirbhar.
17:01So, for us also, over the last year, year and a half, particularly the last 10 months,
17:07which have been of great strain, navigating into a new normal that the United States itself doesn't know what will
17:15pan out,
17:15has been a very, very tough task for our diplomatic and our policy establishment.
17:21Have some missteps happened?
17:22We can always argue about that.
17:24But I would say that we must, at this point of time, take note of the fact that India was
17:30not pushed or ramrodded
17:32or bamboozled into a deal that was not worth the paper that it was written on.
17:37I believe that whenever this deal is signed, it will be after the U.S. Supreme Court decision.
17:43It will be after the USTR report.
17:47Maybe if it happens before that, there will be safeguards built in.
17:50And it will be the best that we could have hoped for in this situation.
17:53And here is the U.S. President repeatedly saying that Prime Minister Modi is a tough negotiator.
18:00So, to the domestic audience here in India, there is a message that is going repeatedly that economy is in
18:06safe hands.
18:07Siddharth, it will be always a pleasure having you on the show.
18:10So, thank you so much for your analysis.
18:11And we have Peter Cardillo, Chief Market Economist, who is joining us here.
18:17Peter, I'm looking at what has happened at this meeting and also what followed.
18:23After Prime Minister Modi is meeting with the U.K. Prime Minister, it has been decided that India-U.K.
18:29Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement will enter into force from 15th of July, 2026.
18:35So, on one hand, is signaling of trade talks between U.S. and India on track?
18:42And on the other, implementation of a very crucial trade deal with U.K.
18:47How are you looking at India's positioning when it is about this multi-alignment, I would say, on the economic
18:54front?
18:55I think that India is playing it as a bargain, a safety proposition going forward.
19:06They're signing deals with the U.K.
19:12They've warmed up to the Chinese government.
19:16They've warmed up to the Russian government.
19:19And I think that's a clear signal that they are very willing to make a deal with the United States.
19:27But they are also signaling that, you know, they want to make a deal that would be satisfactory for both
19:36nations, for the United States and for India.
19:38So, it's sort of like a bargaining tool.
19:44And I think eventually they will make a deal with Mr. Trump.
19:51And I think going forward they will avoid stiffer tariffs.
19:59Okay.
20:00Well, Mr. Cardillo, the fact that we are looking at a trade deal that our group editor business today said
20:10could take a while
20:11because we do not want to jump into a deal that's worthless, that the deal could take place only or
20:20could be signed only after the Supreme Court rulings are complete.
20:24How do you see the courts in America react to the tariffs that were in place and the challenges that
20:32have been posed to the Trump administration?
20:34And in that, do you see a deal between India and U.S. that could work out in favor of
20:40India?
20:41Let me put it to you this way.
20:43You know, over the past four months, trade talks of basically taking a back seat, especially after the Supreme Court
20:56decision, ruling that reciprocal tariffs are illegal.
21:02And the other factor, and probably the most important factor, is that we are fighting a war.
21:09And so I think that gave ample time, not only to India, but to other nations who have yet to
21:20seal a deal with the United States, time to maneuver and make sure that if there is a backfall with
21:31the United States, that they can lean on someone else.
21:35Now, of course, they need to make a deal with the United States.
21:39India is a big trading partner.
21:42It needs our products, just as we need Indian products.
21:46And so I just think that the war factor has given time to the nations, and in particular India, to
21:59make sure that they can have in place a deal that would be favorable.
22:05Okay. Let me bring in Michael Kugelman as well.
22:09He's the director, South Asia Institute, the Wilson Policy.
22:13Michael, I appreciate your time.
22:15Of course, all eyes will be on the peace deal that will be in 48 hours from now.
22:22But for India, this meeting which happened today was of great significance, coming as it does, as India is aiming
22:31to do some kind of reset in this equation between Prime Minister Modi and U.S. President.
22:37What do you think, according to you, is the big takeaway today with what has been said by U.S.
22:43President?
22:45Well, I mean, it's not just a matter of what was said, but what happened.
22:48And what happened is that the two men met face to face for the first time and in quite some
22:52time, going back to the early days of the second Trump administration,
22:56when President Trump hosted Prime Minister Modi at the White House at a moment when the relationship was in a
23:01much better place.
23:02And the two men pledged to expand cooperation.
23:05And I think many of us thought that that would be the case.
23:07But the relationship went downhill.
23:09So I think from a symbolically, this this meeting is very important just because it's been a very long time
23:15since the two men have been able to have a formal face to face meeting.
23:19Now, in terms of what was said, no surprises in the sense that President Trump reiterated how important the relationship
23:26is with India, his his personal affinities for Prime Minister Modi.
23:30This is not expected.
23:31But I think it's quite clear that successful personal diplomacy, which Trump likes to engage in, is not going to
23:38be enough to bridge the significant divides in this relationship
23:41and address the very entrenched tensions that have crept into this partnership over in over the past number of number
23:49of months.
23:50So there's still a lot of work to do.
23:51And I would not say after this meeting that there is a reset in relations.
23:56And I think it could actually be very difficult to get to a reset in the absence of significant changes
24:01and policy shifts, quite frankly, in the Trump administration.
24:05But again, the meeting, it's important that the meeting happened.
24:08It's important for the relationship that the meeting happened just because these two men really needed to meet.
24:12They were overdue to meet.
24:14Well, Michael, two undercurrents and my reading during the meeting, and I'd like you to weigh in.
24:20One is, as much as India would have liked to dehyphenate with Pakistan, there was a clear hyphenation.
24:27He spoke about the eight wars.
24:29There is a clear messaging when it comes to how he's looking at India and the prism through which he's
24:35looking at India because of the removal of the term Indo from the Indo-Pacific.
24:42And there you have the China factor as well.
24:44So for India, uncomfortable in many ways than one.
24:48So good words.
24:49But in terms of action, we have to look at and cautiously move forward when it comes to America.
24:55Yeah, I mean, I was talking about entrenched tensions.
24:59I mean, the fact that the Trump administration continues its very strong embrace of Pakistan, that clearly is going to
25:06be concerning for the relationship.
25:08The fact that this administration has taken a very ambiguous view of China and the fact that this administration has
25:15been willing to hyphenate India and China.
25:17I mean, you'll recall some time ago, a very senior State Department official said that the U.S. has to
25:23be careful that India does not become another China or the U.S. does not make the same mistakes with
25:29India that it made with China.
25:30And that's clearly a message that did not go down well in New Delhi.
25:34And I think that this administration really has not looked at the relationship with India as a strategic partnership.
25:40It really, I think, looks at it as a purely transactional relationship.
25:43And that really goes against the policy of what we've seen from a series of U.S. presidents from both
25:49major parties over the last decade plus.
25:51And those are the types of issues that I think will make it difficult to really get this relationship back
25:56to where it needs to be.
25:57Okay, Michael and Peter continue to be with us.
26:00Let me go straight to Pranay Upadhyay, who's joining us live from Avon in France.
26:05So, Pranay, you asked the question to U.S. President Donald Trump.
26:10Did you see any kind of difference in his reaction from what we have seen 18 months ago at White
26:16House?
26:19Yeah, I can hear you.
26:21Yes, can you hear me?
26:24It's Geeta and us here.
26:27Yes.
26:29So, the question is, what was your reading of the entire press briefing that happened?
26:36Look, Maria and Geeta, this meeting happened in a very cordial atmosphere.
26:40In fact, the ice breaking was already there yesterday.
26:44In the last one and a half day, both leaders met each other, came face to face with each other
26:49at multiple occasions.
26:50But this meeting was important because they sat across each other or alongside each other after the gap of 16
26:57months.
26:57And a lot has happened in the past 16 months.
26:58So, therefore, in terms of their reassuring or in terms of expressing their commitment for the relationship, this was important.
27:06In terms of U.S. President Donald Trump saying that, you know, he values the partnership with India.
27:12In terms of the rhetoric, in terms of the statement, it was quite good, quite important.
27:17But we have to see that every relationship, every statement of President Donald Trump will always be evaluated in terms
27:23of action on the ground.
27:24We have to see that how it actually gets translated.
27:27Because when he goes back to Washington, D.C. in White House and, you know, subsequently, you know, if something
27:33happens or some adverse remark comes, then the entire thing will turn against.
27:38So, therefore, we have to be a little cautious as far as his presidency is concerned.
27:44But, yes, we have to be optimistic as well.
27:46So, there is a cautious optimism as far as Indian side is concerned.
27:50But certainly, this meeting has actually ironed out many differences in terms of, you know, President Donald Trump expressing his
27:58commitment that we are soon going to sign a trade deal, as Siddharth was mentioning.
28:02But this commitment, this statement of President Donald Trump should be evaluated in terms of the outcome of the Section
28:10301 and Section 232 investigations in the United States.
28:13Because we do not want a situation where we end up getting a further levy of taxes from some alternative
28:20route.
28:20So, that remains a concern.
28:22Besides that, you know, the way Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue of seafarer, I think that was also
28:28from his concern.
28:30And, in fact, that was, he only voiced the concern or the national sentiment as far as the seafaring community
28:38is concerned, as far as, you know, the kind of outrage, the kind of anger.
28:42Indians exhibited after the death of three Indian sailors in the Strait of Hormuz because three of the Indian sailors
28:49on board the foreign vessel became collateral damage to this entire conflict.
28:52So, Prime Minister Modi said very emphatically that any formula, any peace deal which President Donald Trump is trying to
28:59work out with Iran should ensure that the seafaring community of India and their interests, their lives need to be
29:05protected.
29:06Because they are, now forget about India's, but the larger seafaring community is the bedrock, that is, they are the
29:11backbone of the maritime trade.
29:14So, there are many important issues which came up in this 50-minute long meeting.
29:19In fact, President Donald Trump took a lot of questions and, in fact, he tried reassuring the Indian camp that
29:25he is there and he values this relationship.
29:31Pranay, those were initial remarks and the press gaggle happened before the meeting.
29:35The 45-minute meeting took place and even as we opened the show, President Trump was addressing the media.
29:40Any information from your sources as to what really transpired during the meeting and was India emphatic enough on various
29:48concerns that India has,
29:49not just when it comes to the issue of trade, but also when it comes to sanctions and waiver?
29:57Today is the day that the sanctions and the waiver ends of the United States of America to purchase Russian
30:04oil.
30:05What happens hereafter?
30:08Absolutely, Geetha. We are yet to get a deep background after the meeting because Prime Minister Nareen Modi had its
30:18own engagement and the senior officials who were accompanying Prime Minister Nareen Modi were busy with other engagement.
30:24And because Prime Minister Modi also had to fly, you know, he was scheduled to fly out from Avion.
30:29He's heading towards Paris where he will be having a certain other set of engagements there, including the community event
30:35there in Paris.
30:36But as far as the waiver is concerned, what we are learning from our sources in government of India clearly
30:41indicates that the sanction is not on Russia per se,
30:44but sanction is on some Russian companies, especially the oil marketing companies.
30:48And there are certain other countries, companies through which India can buy and India is buying the Russian oil.
30:54And so certainly there can be a way out. But, you know, the intent is to work out a solution,
31:00a work out a formula with which India's energy security can be ensured.
31:05And there is absolutely no question of diluting India's interest and, you know, on the issue of diluting India's energy
31:12security.
31:13All right, Pranay, I appreciate your time. Thank you.
31:15And thank you to Michael and Peter who joined us with their perspective.
31:22And during this crucial meeting with U.S. President, Prime Minister Narendra Modi underscored the importance of ensuring the safety
31:29and security of seafarers amidst growing maritime challenges.
31:34And listen in to what Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.
31:40Thank you, Mr. President, Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
32:19coming in at this point in time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi now has met with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.
32:28Prime Minister Modi writes,
32:31In recent times, India and Ukraine have been engaging extensively.
32:36This has been reflected in different areas of our cooperation.
32:39Our talks today were about reviewing different aspects of our cooperation.
32:44We both agree that trade ties need to be restored to what they were in the pre-war time.
32:49Also reiterated that India will always be at the side of peace, placing the values of humanity over everything else.
32:57And the Ukrainian Prime Minister has also tweeted about this meeting where he says,
33:04Importantly, the Prime Minister is interested in developing mutually beneficial relations with Ukraine
33:10and sees this partnership can make our people stronger.
33:15This is an important point that has been made here by Zelensky, where he says,
33:20Our countries have great potential for cooperation and we are already implementing joint projects.
33:26Well, that's right.
33:27I'm being joined by Arun Kumar Sharma.
33:29He's a Senior Associate and Chair on India and Emerging Asia Economics,
33:34Centre for Strategic and International Studies,
33:36and Honorary Senior Advisor at the USISPF.
33:40Mr Sharma, thank you so much for joining us.
33:42Let's begin with the fact that there have been crucial meetings on the sidelines of the G7,
33:46but beginning with what you're seeing right now,
33:49a meeting with the Ukrainian President,
33:52even as India plays a very important role in terms of engagements with Russia and with Ukraine.
33:59What's your reading?
34:01I think it's an important gesture and development for India on the part of PM Modi.
34:07We cannot forget the role that Ukraine played in evacuating 20,000 Indian medical students
34:15from the front lines of the most volatile part of the border at the beginning of the war.
34:21And this is a particularly important meeting given our continued good relations with both sides.
34:28And it's really an important task for both the Honourable Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister
34:35to make sure that we manage good relationships with both sides who are currently at war
34:41but happen to be friends and important for India.
34:45And I think it's also quite significant that the way Prime Minister Modi handled this meeting
34:54was done very skillfully to make sure that we're not taking any sides in the war
35:01because really it's a conflict between two very important friends of India.
35:06And we really want to stress the fact that we'd much rather wish for peace amongst our common friends
35:12and that the economic and diplomatic and political benefits of peace are arrived at as soon as possible.
35:21So I think it was a very carefully, I would say, orchestrated and executed meeting with President Zelensky.
35:30And I think it's very much consistent with the continued ability of India to maintain good ties with two opposing
35:41sides.
35:42And we have to do that in multiple situations.
35:44You know, we've been doing that during Cold War.
35:47We've been doing that between Israel and West Asia.
35:49We've been doing that between Iran and the United States.
35:54So we end up as a peace-loving nation in a very difficult situation at times
36:00when our friends are at war with each other.
36:03But we have to be making sure that we are on the right side of both.
36:07All right, Mr. Sharma, I really appreciate your time.
36:09Thank you for joining us.
36:11So, Prime Minister Modi and President Zelensky having that meeting on the sidelines of G7.
36:16A word, Gita, now finally from you, about the series of meetings that the Prime Minister has had here in
36:23Avian.
36:23But of all these meetings, the meeting with the UK Prime Minister where they went ahead and made that announcement
36:30that from 15th July onwards, that entire trade agreement will come into force
36:36to the meeting with US President and now with President Zelensky.
36:40What all do you think is left in this itinerary?
36:43Well, it was a packed schedule.
36:45What is left now is that Prime Minister Modi from this meeting will be now departing for Paris.
36:52He's going to Paris to engage with the Indian diaspora.
36:55That's India's soft power policy that India, the Indian Premier, has always maintained.
37:00Everywhere he goes, he ensures that he engages the Indian diaspora, which is what he's going to do
37:04before he really calls it a day and leaves for India.
37:10So that's going to be an important engagement we'll be following very closely.
37:13But over here at the G7 summit and even the fact that he ensured that with France,
37:20he clubs the Slovakia visit and went there as well, massive supply chain resilience conversations and the fact that there
37:29have been consecutive invitations to India
37:32in the G7 block, Maria clearly shows that India has gained in importance and strength in such important blocks such
37:40as the G7.
37:41And he's met almost every leader on the sidelines, not just the UAE president, the UK president, Canadian prime minister,
37:49but also European Union president and commissioner.
37:53So very important meetings, but the final one with Donald Trump and now with Zelensky clearly.
37:58Perhaps the icing on the cake.
38:00Yes.
38:01All right.
38:02Thank you for joining us.
38:03A big thank you from Geeta and me in the studio.
38:06We'll continue to track that story very, very closely.
38:08Thanks so much for watching.
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