On June 17th local time, U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met during the G7 summit, attempting to ease the increasingly tense relations between the two countries.
According to the Hong Kong 'South China Morning Post', this is Trump's first meeting with Modi in 16 months. Trump promised to visit India soon. The two sides discussed the incident where American sailors were killed in the Oman Gulf. Modi asked the United States to ensure the safety of Indian sailors in the Hormuz Strait, but Trump showed no remorse over the attack.
Last week, the U.S. Navy, which is responsible for blocking the Strait of Hormuz, conducted attacks on several vessels. The oil tanker MT Settebello, flying the flag of Palau, was hit by a missile in the Gulf of Oman on June 10. The U.S. Central Command claimed that a U.S. aircraft fired precision-guided weapons at the vessel, as the crew of the oil tanker “repeatedly refused to comply with military instructions.”
The MT Settebello was carrying 28 crew members, 24 of whom were Indians. The Indian government subsequently confirmed that 21 of these Indian crew members were rescued and 3 died. The Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it has summoned the US chargé d'affaires in India to lodge a solemn protest regarding this attack.
Oil tanker operator iOS Marine denied the claims made by the U.S. Central Command. In a statement, the company said: “As far as we know, the U.S. military never established any communication with the ship before taking action against it. The ship is a civilian merchant vessel engaged in lawful commercial activities, and should be treated as such. Any contrary statements are unfounded, and should be subject to independent and transparent scrutiny.”
This incident has further strained relations between the United States and India. Last year, Trump imposed tariffs of up to 50% on Indian goods exported to the US. In February this year, the US and India announced a trade agreement. The US agreed to reduce tariffs to 18%. In exchange, India would stop buying Russian oil and lower trade barriers.
During this week's G7 summit, Trump and Modi met for the first time in 16 months, trying to ease tensions between the two countries. The incident where a U.S. Navy ship killed Indian crew members also became a focus of discussion. During the summit, Modi stated that the safety of the Indian crew was "crucial," and he believed that the United States and Iran would ensure the safety of the crew during the implementation of the memorandum of understanding.
Reports say that Modi also raised the issue of the safety of Indian crew members with Trump. However, Trump did not express sympathy or apology for the attack. He merely replied, “I heard about this. Such incidents happen from time to time, but we have been working together. We love all these people; they are great individuals.”
Additionally, Trump promised to visit India soon. He reiterated that if India were attacked, the United States would "help" India. Trump said, "If someone attacks him (Modi), we will definitely act... But if it's a new leader who is attacked, I'm not sure."
On June 17th local time, U.S. President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Modi met in France.
Last week, the U.S. Navy attacked three ships carrying Indian crew members in the Gulf region, alleging that these ships "violated the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz." In response, India summoned the U.S. Acting Representative twice within three days, and Indian Foreign Minister Sujesh Singh also had a conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Roebuck.
After expressing strong protest, Su Jiesheng, Rubio issued a warning to India, emphasizing that all merchant ships must comply with U.S. orders in the Strait of Hormuz. ‘Any act that violates U.S. sanctions and illegally transports Iranian oil cannot be tolerated,’ he said.
While Trump boasted about the "U.S.-India defense relations," on the 16th, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that the U.S. military's Indo-Pacific Command would revert to its former name, "Pacific Command." However, the scope of responsibility remains unchanged, still covering the waters off the western coast of the United States to west of India. Analysts believe that removing the word "Indian Ocean" from the name may indicate a downward shift in the level of relations between the U.S. and India.
Due to the lack of any apology from the US government regarding the attack, there is strong dissatisfaction within India. The South China Morning Post reported that many tricycle drivers in Delhi tore off the posters of Trump on their vehicles as a form of protest. These posters were part of an advertising campaign by the US embassy, featuring slogans like “Happy American Birthday” and photos of Trump.
Indian opposition parties accuse Modi's government of 'compromise' with Trump, and of not condemning the United States. Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi criticized, 'A free country would not tolerate such remarks. But what about our compromising prime minister? He remains silent, acting as a submissive servant.'
Research Fellow, Gopal Rao Kumarm of the Institute for Joint Services in India, believes that the US government's lukewarm response was "a severe diplomatic misstep" and demands that India follow American instructions will only deepen the sense of discontent. He states: “For a country that has long described India as a close friend and strategic partner, this silence is not only eye-catching but also painful."
Sriparamna Pattak, a professor of international relations at Indira Gandhi Global University in India, said that the attitude of the Indian public has shifted towards anger and disappointment. However, she predicted that the Indian government will continue to focus on 'pragmatic diplomacy' that is centered around its core strategies, defense, and economic interests. 'India may demand accountability and protection for the crew's interests, but it will not allow this incident to affect bilateral relations.'
However, Rajiv Ranjan Chaturvedi, an associate professor of international studies at the Nalanda University, has a different view. He pointed out, "The United States missile attack killed an Indian sailor, yet the U.S. government didn’t even apologize. What value does such a partnership have?" He believes that this incident may prompt India to accelerate its process of ‘strategic diversification’ and move away from relying on a single partner.
