Potential Modi-Trump G7 pull-aside to set stage for Quad, address trade 'Limbo': Robinder Sachdev

New Delhi [India], May 21 : As global leaders prepare for the upcoming G7 summit in France next month, a potential pull-aside meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Donald Trump is highly anticipated, largely to address unresolved bilateral trade issues and set the strategic agenda for the upcoming Quad summit.
Foreign Issues Expert Robinder Sachdev emphasised the high probability of this high-level interaction. "At the G7 in France, if Trump is there, if Prime Minister Modi is there, I think the chance of a pull-aside is certainly very high for multiple reasons," Sachdev stated.
A critical talking point will be the stagnant India-US trade negotiations. Sachdev noted, "The trade deal has still not been finalised. In fact, the trade deal is in limbo. But that is a limbo given the American complications. The tariffs which Trump had imposed for the sanctions... the courts have pulled them down. He is now looking at some other kind of tariffs." He added that a pull-aside would help get a "better sense of mutual understanding."
The interaction in France is also viewed as a crucial stepping stone for broader Indo-Pacific strategic alignments. With India hosting the Quad later this year, diplomatic preparations are already well underway. "Marco Rubio's visit could be a preparatory visit for a potential Modi-Trump meeting in France next month," Sachdev explained. "When Modi-Trump meet next month, that could be laying the ground for the Quad meeting and its agenda."
Beyond bilateral trade and the Quad framework, the leaders are expected to navigate complex global conflicts. Sachdev highlighted that "there are several multilateral issues, including the present Gulf War as well as the Russia-Ukraine War". However, he emphasised that the top priority for both nations during this encounter will be "balancing out American-Indian relations" amidst a shifting landscape.