Trump Hails ‘Very Good Friend’ Modi After Gaza Peace Deal, Says Hopes India and Pakistan ‘Live Nicely Together’

Having brought the Gaza war to a halt following a peace agreement between Israel and Hamas, US President Donald Trump on Monday showered praise on his “very good friend” Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Gaza Peace Summit held in Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh.

“India is a great country with a very good friend of mine at the top, and he has done a fantastic job,” Trump said, with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif standing in the background. The US President added that he hoped “Pakistan and India are going to live very nicely together.”

Though invited, PM Modi skipped the summit, deputing Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh to represent India.

Trump-Modi Bonhomie

Trump’s mention of Modi despite his absence at the summit underscores the continuing rapport between the two leaders. Over the years, the duo have maintained frequent communication — from birthday calls and congratulatory messages to public praise and symbolic gestures.

Just days earlier, US ambassador-designate Sergio Gor met PM Modi in New Delhi and presented him with a framed photo featuring Trump’s handwritten message: “Mr Prime Minister, you are great.”

Trump’s Take on India-Pakistan Tensions

Trump’s comments also came amid ongoing strain between India and Pakistan, following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which killed 26 civilians.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The four-day conflict ended on May 10, after Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations reportedly sought a ceasefire understanding with India.

Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for mediating that de-escalation, saying he “stopped a nuclear war” between the two countries — a claim India has firmly denied.

Speaking aboard Air Force One en route to Egypt, Trump again asserted that he had “settled that war” within 24 hours using tariffs as leverage.

“If you guys want to fight a war and you have nuclear weapons, I said, I’m going to put big tariffs on you both — 100%, 150%, 200%. And within 24 hours, I had that thing settled,” Trump told reporters.

New Delhi, however, has maintained that the ceasefire decision was made independently, without any third-party involvement. India has consistently reiterated that Kashmir and related issues are strictly bilateral matters between New Delhi and Islamabad.

PM Modi on Gaza Peace Plan

After Trump’s announcement of the Gaza Peace Plan on October 9, PM Modi congratulated him in a phone call, describing it as a “historic step.”

“Spoke to my friend, President Trump, and congratulated him on the success of the historic Gaza peace plan,” Modi posted on X. “We also reviewed progress in trade negotiations and agreed to stay in close touch.”

Modi also called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to laud the agreement, reaffirming India’s stand that “terrorism in any form or manifestation is unacceptable anywhere in the world.”

On Monday, Modi welcomed the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas for over two years, calling their freedom “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 said.