US President Donald Trump has expressed admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a strong leader. During a luncheon for APEC CEOs, Trump reiterated his claim of having personally brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan earlier this year. He described Modi as a "great-looking guy" and noted, "He’s a killer — tough as hell," highlighting Modi's determination during their discussions.

Trump recounted how he intervened in the tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations, stating, "If you look at India and Pakistan — I was doing a trade deal with India, and I have great respect and love for Prime Minister Modi. They were really going at it." He claimed that he warned both Modi and Pakistan's leadership that the US would not engage in business with either country while they were in conflict.

He said, "I told Prime Minister Modi, ‘We can’t make a deal with you right now because you’re fighting with Pakistan.’ Then I called the Pakistani Prime Minister and told him we can’t make a deal with you because you are fighting India." Trump asserted that his threats of imposing "250% tariffs" led to both countries agreeing to cease hostilities within 48 hours, claiming his intervention saved "millions and millions of lives."

Since May, Trump has repeated this narrative, stating that India and Pakistan agreed to a "full and immediate" ceasefire after what he described as a "long night" of talks mediated by the US. However, India has consistently denied any American involvement, asserting that the ceasefire was reached at the request of the Pakistani Director General of Military Operations to his Indian counterpart. Officials noted that the understanding was finalised on May 10, following four days of cross-border exchanges triggered by India's Operation Sindoor, which was launched in response to a terror attack that killed 26 civilians on April 22.

Trump's remarks came as he continued his tour of Asia, arriving in South Korea for a scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the APEC summit in Gyeongju.