Claims He Helped End India–Pakistan Conflict; Praises Modi’s Leadership and Strong Personality
Seoul ( Economy India): Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday lavished praise on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him “the nicest-looking guy” and a “killer — tough as hell.” Speaking at the APEC CEO Summit in Seoul, Trump said that India and the U.S. are “very close” to finalizing a new trade deal, signaling renewed economic engagement between the two countries.
Trump Claims to Have Brokered Peace Between India and Pakistan
During his speech, Trump recalled the period of heightened tension between India and Pakistan, claiming that he personally intervened to stop the conflict.
“When they were fighting, I told both countries to stop — but they refused. They said, ‘No, we will fight,’” Trump said, mimicking Modi’s tone to laughter from the audience.
He further claimed that he had threatened to impose a 250% tariff on both nations, following which both sides “called back within two days and agreed to a ceasefire.”
Trump also praised Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, describing Munir as “a tremendous fighter.”
‘Modi Is a Killer and Tough as Hell’: Trump’s Unique Compliment
Trump’s choice of words — calling Modi “a killer” and “tough as hell” — was meant as a compliment, highlighting the Indian leader’s strong personality and resilience.
He added that Modi may appear soft-spoken, but he is a “balanced and decisive” leader who knows how to protect his country’s interests on the global stage.
India’s Commerce Minister: ‘We Don’t Do Deals Under Pressure’
Reacting to ongoing trade discussions, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal recently stated that India will not rush into a trade agreement with the U.S. under pressure.
“India doesn’t make deals with a gun to its head,” Goyal said last week.
“We approach every trade agreement from a long-term perspective, ensuring that it benefits our farmers, industries, and small businesses.”
Goyal emphasized that India is exploring new markets to counter high U.S. tariffs and will only sign deals aligned with its domestic interests.
U.S. Wants Access to India’s Dairy Market
One major hurdle in the trade deal is America’s demand to export dairy products like milk, cheese, and butter to India.
India, the world’s largest milk producer, fears that allowing U.S. dairy imports could hurt millions of small farmers and conflict with religious sentiments.
Indian officials also pointed out that in the U.S., cows are often fed enzymes derived from animal bones (such as rennet), making their milk “non-vegetarian” by Indian standards.
India–U.S. Trade Target: $500 Billion by 2030
Both nations have set a target to increase bilateral trade from the current $191 billion to $500 billion by 2030.
According to India’s Commerce Ministry, India’s exports to the U.S. grew 21.64% to $33.53 billion between April–July 2025, while imports rose 12.33% to $17.41 billion during the same period.
The U.S. remains India’s largest trading partner, accounting for a significant share of exports in technology, textiles, and pharmaceuticals.
Trump’s Tariff Actions Against India
Trump also reminded the audience that he had imposed a 25% additional tariff on Indian goods earlier in August, citing India’s continued purchase of Russian oil.
The move came after a previous 25% tariff in July, effectively doubling the total import duty on certain Indian products to 50%.
The U.S. government stated that the measure was aimed at “ensuring fair competition and reducing dependency on Russian energy supplies.”
(Economy India)
