Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called on G7 nations to ensure the safety of seafarers and secure global maritime routes even as he met US President Donald Trump after nearly 15 months, setting the stage for a closely watched bilateral meeting against the backdrop of tensions in West Asia and lingering differences over trade.Addressing an outreach session of the G7 Summit in Evian, France, Modi said the conflict in West Asia had caused loss of life among India’s friendly countries, disrupted maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz and adversely affected the global economy.“Many Indian civilians have lost their lives. It is our responsibility to ensure the safety of the seafarers who connect nations through global maritime trade. We must ensure that maritime routes remain secure and that seafarers can perform their duties without fear,” the Prime Minister said.His remarks came days after three Indian nationals were killed in attacks on commercial shipping in the region, underscoring the risks facing one of the world’s busiest energy corridors and the millions of Indians living and working across West Asia.Against this backdrop, Modi and Trump briefly interacted on the sidelines of the summit before their scheduled bilateral meeting, their first in-person encounter since the PM’s visit to Washington in February 2025, shortly after Trump’s return to the White House.The two leaders exchanged a firm handshake as they met at the summit venue hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. Unlike their previous meetings, marked by trademark embraces, there was no hug this time, with Trump patting Modi on the arm as the two exchanged pleasantries.The bilateral talks between the two leaders are expected to be closely watched as India and the US navigate a period of geopolitical turbulence and unresolved trade differences.The worsening situation in West Asia is expected to dominate the discussions. New Delhi has been closely monitoring developments amid concerns over energy supplies, disruptions to shipping lanes and the safety of the Indian diaspora in the region.Trade is also likely to feature prominently. India and the US are currently negotiating a bilateral trade agreement, with both sides seeking to bridge differences over tariffs and market access.The meeting assumes added significance as the India-US ties have witnessed occasional strains over New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil and Trump’s repeated claims that Washington played a role in ending last year’s India-Pakistan military standoff.Despite these irritants, both countries have sought to ensure that differences do not overshadow a partnership increasingly seen as central to strategic stability in the Indo-Pacific.At the outreach session on “Forging New Partnerships and Rebuilding International Solidarity”, Modi made a broader appeal for rebuilding trust in an increasingly fragmented world. “Today, the world does not suffer from a shortage of resources; it suffers from a shortage of trust,” he said, arguing that trust had become the most important strategic asset in an interconnected world.He cautioned against the use of technology and supply chains as instruments of coercion and said global institutions must be capable of meeting the aspirations of all countries.Quoting former US President Ronald Reagan’s famous dictum “Trust, but verify”, Modi called for the creation of a trusted and rules-based international order suited to a changing world. The PM said the Covid-19 pandemic had exposed the fragility of global solidarity and highlighted the need to restore confidence among nations.Highlighting India’s role as a “first responder”, he recalled that New Delhi had supplied medicines and vaccines to more than 150 countries during the pandemic and extended humanitarian assistance to countries hit by natural disasters.Modi also pitched for a new approach towards the Global South, saying developing nations were looking not for charity but for genuine partnerships. “We must move beyond the donor-recipient mindset and work as equal partners,” he said.Officials said the G7 Summit provided an opportunity for discussions on economic growth, artificial intelligence, emerging technologies and geopolitical challenges at a time when the world was grappling with multiple conflicts and increasing economic uncertainty.