US President Donald Trump showered praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a “very good friend” during the Gaza Peace Summit in Egypt. The remarks came even though Modi skipped the summit, deputing Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh to represent India.
Trump spoke at the global peace gathering in Sharm El-Sheikh after announcing a truce between Israel and Hamas, calling the peace deal a “historic breakthrough.”
“India is a great country with a very good friend of mine at the top, and he has done a fantastic job,” Trump said, as Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stood in the background.
The US President added that he hopes India and Pakistan will ‘live very nicely together’, referring to recent tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Modi-Trump Friendship Continues
Despite Prime Minister Modi’s absence, Trump’s remarks highlighted the ongoing bonhomie between the two leaders. Over the past year, both have exchanged phone calls, social media greetings, and diplomatic messages.
Last week, Modi called Trump to congratulate him on the “success of the historic Gaza peace plan.” During that call, the two leaders also reviewed the progress in bilateral trade negotiations and agreed to stay in close touch.
Recently, US ambassador-designate Sergio Gor presented Modi with a signed photo from Trump, featuring the handwritten message: “Mr Prime Minister, you are great.”
India-Pakistan Tensions and Trump’s Claim
Trump’s remarks came amid renewed discussion over his claim that he “stopped a nuclear war” between India and Pakistan earlier this year.
Following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure across the border. A brief four-day conflict followed before both sides agreed to a ceasefire on May 10.
Speaking aboard Air Force One en route to Egypt, Trump repeated his earlier assertion:
“I settled a few wars just based on tariffs. For example, between India and Pakistan. I said, if you guys want to fight a war with nuclear weapons, I’m going to put tariffs of 100, 150, or even 200 per cent.”
He added,
“I had that thing settled in 24 hours. Without tariffs, you could have never settled that war.”
However, New Delhi has firmly rejected any suggestion of third-party involvement. India maintains that the decision to halt hostilities was reached bilaterally between the military leadership of both countries.
Modi Congratulates Trump, Netanyahu on Gaza Peace Deal
On October 9, when Trump announced the successful implementation of the first phase of his Gaza peace plan, Modi congratulated him over a phone call.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Modi wrote:
“Spoke to my friend, President Trump, and congratulated him on the success of the historic Gaza peace plan. Also reviewed the good progress achieved in trade negotiations. Agreed to stay in close touch over the coming weeks.”
Shortly after, Modi also spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reaffirming India’s position that terrorism in any form is unacceptable anywhere in the world.
“We Support Trump’s Efforts for Peace”
On Monday, Modi welcomed the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas for over two years, calling it a testament to ongoing peace efforts.
“Their freedom stands as a tribute to the courage of their families, the unwavering peace efforts of President Trump, and the strong resolve of Prime Minister Netanyahu. We support President Trump’s sincere efforts to bring peace to the region,” Modi wrote on X.
