Trump, Modi Meet at G7 to Reset U.S.-India Ties
The Spin
Narrative A
The U.S.-India trade deal is more smoke than substance — the $500 billion purchase pledge is pure fantasy when bilateral goods and services exports totaled just $83 billion in 2024. Trump's tariff obsession has already torched trust that took decades to build, and the 18% rate only looks good because Washington manufactured the crisis in the first place. Calling this a reset ignores the real collateral damage done to a once-depoliticized relationship.
Narrative B
The Modi-Trump relationship is delivering real results — defense cooperation was renewed for another decade, India signed onto the Pax Silica Initiative and a joint AI cooperation statement, and high-level visits have surged since Ambassador Gor arrived. The relationship is interest-based and transactional, which actually makes it more durable because both sides have concrete stakes in making it work. Strong working-level momentum on defense, technology and energy is exactly what a serious strategic partnership looks like.
