US President Donald Trump praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi while speaking at the Gaza Peace Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt — even though Modi did not attend the event.
Trump, who recently helped broker a peace deal between Israel and Hamas, said, “India is a great country with a very good friend of mine at the top. He has done a fantastic job.” Interestingly, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was present during Trump’s remarks. Trump added that he hoped “Pakistan and India will live very nicely together.”
Although Modi was invited to the summit, he sent Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh to represent India instead.
Trump and Modi’s Friendship
Trump’s mention of Modi once again showed the friendly bond between the two leaders. Over the years, they have exchanged phone calls, social media messages, and greetings on birthdays. Recently, Trump sent Modi a signed photograph with a handwritten note that read, “Mr. Prime Minister, you are great.”
Trump’s Claims About India-Pakistan Conflict
Trump has often claimed that he played a role in stopping a potential war between India and Pakistan earlier this year after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people. Following the attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The conflict lasted four days before a ceasefire was reached on May 10. Trump later said that his threat to impose heavy tariffs — “100%, 150%, or even 200%” — on both countries helped stop the fighting. He claimed, “In 24 hours, I had that thing settled.”
However, India has strongly denied any foreign involvement in its decisions, saying the ceasefire was a bilateral matter between New Delhi and Islamabad.
Modi’s Support for Gaza Peace Plan
On October 9, after Trump announced the Israel-Hamas peace deal, PM Modi called him to congratulate him on the “historic Gaza peace plan.” Modi also spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said that terrorism in any form is unacceptable.
Even though Modi skipped the summit, he praised the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas for over two years. “Their freedom is a tribute to the peace efforts of President Trump and the strong resolve of Prime Minister Netanyahu,” Modi wrote on X, adding that India supports Trump’s sincere efforts for peace in the region.
