00:01A diplomatic protocol request from India reportedly took an unexpected turn during
00:07Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at G7 summit.
00:13According to U.S. Ambassador to India, Sergio Gore, New Delhi had specifically asked Washington
00:20to avoid questions from journalists during the leader's public interaction.
00:25Gore says he personally conveyed that request to Trump.
00:28And, according to the ambassador, the U.S. President initially agreed.
00:34But moments later, everything changed.
00:36As cameras rolled and Modi and Trump completed their opening remarks, Trump reportedly turned
00:42toward the journalists and asked a simple question.
00:45Any questions?
00:49Any questions?
00:50That single invitation opened the door to an extended media interaction and what was expected
00:57to be a controlled public appearance reportedly turned into a 45-minute press conference.
01:03Gore recounted the episode while speaking at the Economic Times World Leaders Forum.
01:09He said the conversation happened behind the scenes before Modi and Trump began their meeting.
01:14Trump reportedly asked what India intended to raise during the interaction.
01:20The ambassador said they discussed several topics.
01:23Then came India's specific request.
01:26According to Gore, the Ministry of External Affairs wanted media present but did not want a full press conference.
01:34Gore said he conveyed the preference directly to Trump.
01:37According to Gore, Trump responded positively.
01:41But once the cameras were inside the room, the carefully planned format did not last long.
01:47The meeting began with journalists and cameras present.
01:50Gore said around 50 cameras were in the room as Modi and Trump sat across from each other.
01:56Both leaders delivered their opening remarks.
01:58Then came the unexpected moment.
02:01Trump turned toward the assembled media and asked, any questions?
02:06According to Gore, that immediately changed the nature of the interaction.
02:10What followed was no longer simply a brief media appearance.
02:14It became a lengthy question and answer session.
02:17The ambassador described it as a 45-minute press conference.
02:22Government sources have responded to Gore's account.
02:25They said India's communication was not unusual or extraordinary.
02:30According to the sources, New Delhi was simply explaining the standard protocol followed during
02:35public appearances involving VVIP leaders.
02:38They emphasized that discussions over arrangements for leaders are routine ahead of such visits.
02:44Still, Gore's account has put a spotlight on what happened behind the scenes.
02:49The Modi-Trump meeting itself carried considerable significance.
02:53It took place on June 17th on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France.
03:00And the two leaders were dealing with several sensitive issues.
03:04The meeting came at a particularly tense moment.
03:08The conflict in West Asia was disrupting shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
03:14Just days before the meeting, three Indian mariners had reportedly been killed in a U.S. Navy attack
03:21on a commercial vessel.
03:22The safety of Indian seafarers operating in the conflict zone was therefore among the concerns raised by Modi.
03:30The Prime Minister told Trump that the safety of Indian sailors was of the utmost importance.
03:35Trump, however, appeared to play down the risks associated with the profession, describing seafaring as a
03:42rough profession.
03:44The two leaders also discussed the situation around the Strait of Hormuz.
03:49And the conversation moved beyond security.
03:52The meeting came as Washington and India were also trying to move forward on a bilateral trade agreement.
03:59Trump said the two countries were very close to reaching a deal.
04:02But the meeting was taking place against a much broader backdrop of uncertainty.
04:08The war in West Asia was affecting energy supplies and maritime trade.
04:12The Strait of Hormuz remained a major concern for India because of its importance to global shipping
04:17and the movement of Indian seafarers. And then came the unexpected media exchange.
04:25The episode has now raised questions about how closely diplomatic protocols are followed
04:30during high-level meetings. According to Sergio Gore, India clearly communicated its preference for a
04:37media interaction without questions. Trump reportedly agreed. But when the cameras arrived, the U.S.
04:44president opened the floor anyway. That decision transformed a planned appearance into a 45-minute
04:50press conference. India, meanwhile, has stressed that its request reflected standard VVIP protocol,
04:58rather than an unusual demand. The incident also illustrates the unpredictable nature of Trump's
05:04public engagements. For Modi, the meeting involved far more than media arrangements on a foreign visit.
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