What can we expect from Trump and Modi's meeting?

Pearl Pandya, South Asia Senior Analyst at ACLED, said:

“A long-awaited US-India trade agreement is expected to top the agenda when US President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit tomorrow. It comes after an interim agreement, established by the two parties in February, triggered widespread protests from Indian farm unions, a politically powerful constituency within the country. 

“A deal isn’t likely to be signed at the meeting itself. Discussions will prove to be difficult as the two haven’t met in over a year, after trade and diplomatic disagreements led to a period of strained ties. 

“Any agreement will come at a delicate time for India’s economy, which is grappling with the fallout from the Iran war. ACLED data show more than 550 protests across India over rising costs since the conflict broke out. 

“At such a time, the Indian government will be wary about appearing too accommodating to the US. It is already facing questions from the opposition over what critics describe as a weak response to the killing of three Indian merchant sailors in US missile strikes in the Strait of Hormuz on June 10.”