Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump met for the first time in 16 months at the G7 Summit in France’s Evian shook hands, but the hug was missing this time. Departing from previous warm gestures, the leaders exchanged a formal handshake instead of a hug, reflecting a calibrated, interest-based partnership after discussions on trade, tariffs, and geopolitical alignments. Positioned prominently alongside other world leaders, including the French President, for the official group photograph, the Indian Prime Minister demonstrated the nation’s rising stature in global affairs. This measured diplomacy signals that India-US ties are driven by strategic interests rather than mere symbolism.
