PM seeks seafarer protection clause in prospective Iran deal; Trump pledges US support, signals India visit ahead
Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the safety of Indian seafarers transiting the Strait of Hormuz during a joint briefing with US President Donald Trump at the G7 summit in France. Modi told Trump that “lakhs” of Indian sailors operate in the maritime sector and that their security carries equal weight in any settlement reached with Iran. The appeal follows the deaths of three Indian crew members aboard MT Settebello in a US Navy strike last week, with two additional India-crewed vessels attacked within the same seven-day span, prompting India’s external affairs ministry to summon the US envoy in Delhi.
Trump acknowledged being briefed on the incident, calling seafaring “a rough profession” and noting both leaders were “working at it.” He further pledged American backing for India’s defence, stating Washington would respond to any attack on the country. Trump also called Modi a “tough negotiator” and confirmed plans for a future India visit, potentially alongside Japan and Australia, a trip New Delhi has sought for months.
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