EVIAN-LES-BAINS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday raised with US President Donald Trump the issue of seafarers’ safety and called for provisions for their protection in Washington’s proposed peace deal with Iran, even as the two leaders vowed to take steps to repair bilateral ties that reeled under severe strain over the past year.
The meeting between the two leaders on the margins of the G7 summit in the French commune came amid increasing outrage in India over the killing of three Indian crew members of a merchant ship in American military strikes.
In his televised comments, Prime Minister Modi complimented Trump for his efforts towards ending the West Asia conflict and brought up the issue of the safety of lakhs of Indian seafarers operating in key maritime zones.
The prime minister hoped that the peace deal with Iran would have provisions for the security of the seafarers.
“Mr President, you and I agree that keeping the Strait of Hormuz open is vital for the global economy. India has consistently emphasised the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation and we should work together on it,” he said. The prime minister, then, underlined the importance of the safety of seafarers.
“Hundreds of thousands of Indian seafarers are working across the global maritime trade routes and their safety is of utmost importance to us. You made tremendous efforts towards reaching this understanding (peace agreement with Iran). I am confident that the issue of the safety of seafarers will receive the highest priority in the implementation of this agreement,” he said.
In his remarks, Trump described the meeting as “great” and heaped praise on Modi. The US president, without giving any timeline, said he will travel to India.
The US president also described India as a major global player.
To a question on the deaths of three Indian seafarers, Trump said he was aware of it. “I heard about that (the deaths), it’s a rough profession, no question about it,” he said, adding, “We will work together.”