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    COVER STORY                                                              JUNE 26, 2026     |  The Indian Eye                    5

            to the framework agreement before
            negotiations begin on a broader bi-
            lateral trade pact.
                Yet despite the optimism, trade
            remains the principal area of unfin-
            ished business. The Trump admin-
            istration had earlier imposed steep
            tariffs on Indian goods, including a
            50 per cent tariff, before reducing the
            reciprocal tariff to 18 per cent follow-
            ing an interim understanding.
                Former US National Security
            Advisor John Bolton argued that
            these tariff disputes continue to
            distract both countries from larger
            strategic priorities. “I personally am
            opposed to Trump’s tariff program.
            I think it’s a big mistake around the
            world. From the US perspective, it’s
            been particularly unfairly applied to
            India, much more so than to China,”
            Bolton said.
                His remarks underline a con-
            tinuing contradiction in India-US re-  US President Donald Trump, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other G7 world leaders, stand together for a group photo at the G7
            lations. While strategic cooperation
            has expanded rapidly, commercial                                Summit, in Evian on Tuesday (@WhiteHouse X/ANI Photo)
            negotiations have often struggled
            with disagreements over tariffs, mar-  pressing confidence that the security   geopolitical challenge. “What I really   and broader regional security consul-
            ket access and trade regulations.  of commercial crews would receive   hope comes for the first time is a stra-  tations.
                Nevertheless, both governments   priority  under  any  emerging  peace   tegic discussion between Trump and   Although Pakistan  did  not
            appear determined not to allow    arrangement. The discussion  illus-  Modi on how to deal with the Chi-  feature prominently in the public
            those disputes to derail the broader   trated how India is increasingly pre-  nese threat. It always... gets lost in a   statements following the meeting, it
            relationship.                     senting itself as a stakeholder in re-  discussion of trade issues,” he said.  remains an important strategic vari-
                Beyond economics, the Evian   gional stability rather than simply an   He described China’s ambitions   able. The continuing China-Pakistan
            meeting demonstrated India’s grow-  observer.                       across the Indo-Pacific as “one of the   partnership, Beijing’s expanding re-
            ing diplomatic relevance in West      Another important, though less   major issues, if not the major issue of   gional  influence  and  security  con-
            Asia. Asked whether India could   visible, dimension of the meeting   the 21st century.”              cerns along India’s borders ensure
            contribute to addressing the regional   concerns China.                 Bolton also warned against any   that Washington’s engagement with
            crisis,  Trump  replied  unequivocal-  While the official discussions fo-  perception of a US-China “G2”   New Delhi carries implications ex-
            ly.  “Yes,  I  do.  I  think  India  plays  a   cused largely on trade and West Asia,   framework, calling it “a dangerous   tending well beyond bilateral trade.
            big role in everything. As long as he   strategic analysts believe the long-  sidelining of India.”       Taken together, the Modi-Trump
            (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) is   term  significance  of  India-US  rela-  Instead, he  advocated  stronger   meeting demonstrated that the In-
            the leader, India is going to play a big   tions lies in balancing China’s grow-  cooperation through the Quad in-  dia-US relationship continues to
            role.”                            ing influence across the Indo-Pacific.   volving India, the United States, Ja-  evolve from a primarily economic
                The comment represents a nota-  Bolton argued that trade disputes   pan and Australia, including intelli-  partnership into a comprehensive
            ble acknowledgement of India’s ex-  should not overshadow the larger   gence sharing, military coordination   strategic alliance. Personal chem-
            panding role beyond South Asia.                                                                       istry between the two leaders has
                For New Delhi, stability in the                                                                   once again created positive political
            Gulf is not merely a geopolitical                                                                     momentum, negotiations on a trade
            concern but an economic necessi-                                                                      agreement are approaching comple-
            ty. India depends heavily on energy                                                                   tion, and both countries increasingly
            imports passing through the Strait of                                                                 recognise India’s importance in en-
            Hormuz, while millions of Indians                                                                     suring stability in West Asia and the
            live and work across the Gulf region.                                                                 wider Indo-Pacific.
            Prime Minister Modi welcomed                                                                              Yet  significant  challenges  re-
            Trump’s diplomatic efforts in the re-                                                                 main. Tariff disputes have not disap-
            gion.                                                                                                 peared,  difficult  trade  negotiations
                “I commend you for your leader-                                                                   continue, and the shared challenge
            ship on the progress in peace efforts                                                                 posed by China’s growing influence
            in West Asia,” he said.                                                                               will require deeper strategic coordi-
                He also stressed that keeping                                                                     nation. The meeting in Evian there-
            the Strait of Hormuz open was vital                                                                   fore represents not the culmination
            for the global economy and drew at-                                                                   of the partnership but another step
            tention to the welfare of Indian mer-                                                                 in an evolving relationship whose
            chant sailors operating in increasing-                                                                importance extends far beyond bilat-
            ly volatile waters.               Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with US President Donald Trump at the G7 Summit (@  eral ties, influencing the balance of
                “I believe the safety of Indian                      narendramodi X/ANI Photo)                    power across Asia and the future ar-
            seafarers is critical,” Modi said, ex-                                                                chitecture of the international order.

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