Trump Hints at Imminent India Trade Deal: Praises PM Modi

In a striking statement that combined diplomacy, praise, and characteristic exaggeration, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday offered the clearest indication yet that a Donald Trump India trade deal is on the horizon. Speaking at an Asia-Pacific meeting in South Korea, Trump declared that he has “great respect and love” for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while once again revisiting his embellished tale of having stopped a war between India and Pakistan using trade threats.

According to diplomatic sources, both nations have already reached a provisional trade agreement that now awaits formal approval. The deal is expected to slash US tariffs on Indian exports from 50% to 15%, a major boost for Indian manufacturers and exporters. In return, New Delhi is set to scale down its imports of Russian oil and ramp up purchases of US energy supplies, signaling a strategic shift in trade alignment.

Key Elements of the Donald Trump India Trade Deal

Under the emerging framework, India is likely to:

• Import larger quantities of US crude oil and natural gas, reinforcing energy ties.

• Buy American corn to support its ambitious biofuel program that blends ethanol with petrol.

• Consider new acquisitions of US defense equipment, further expanding defense cooperation.

Although the timeline for signing the deal remains uncertain, sources close to both governments have hinted that it will begin as a “framework agreement”, paving the way for a more comprehensive trade pact in the future.

Trump, known for his flamboyant storytelling, portrayed the trade understanding as a testament to his leadership and personal diplomacy. His remarks also came ahead of his planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as part of a broader push to secure strategic trade partnerships across Asia—including with Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia—to bolster his global negotiating leverage.

Trump’s Unfounded Claim of Stopping an Indo-Pak Conflict

In his address, Trump once again spun his now-infamous anecdote about preventing an India-Pakistan war through tariff threats. This time, his story took an even more dramatic turn.

“I said I was going to put 250% tariffs on each country, which means that you’ll never do business… and they understood that, and within 48 hours, we had no war and no people killed. It makes me feel so good. We saved millions and millions of lives,” Trump told the audience.

The US President’s remarks—though captivating to some—have been widely dismissed by analysts and officials familiar with the episode. Indian sources have categorically denied the existence of any such call or intervention, calling it “arrant nonsense.” According to official records, the de-escalation between India and Pakistan was achieved after Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) reached out to his Indian counterpart to initiate a ceasefire—not because of American trade threats.

Praise and Peculiarities in Equal Measure

Amid his fanciful retelling, Trump heaped praise on Prime Minister Modi, describing him as “the nicest-looking guy” and even referring to him as a “father-figure.” His unusual combination of admiration and hyperbole drew both laughter and disbelief.

“He’s a killer. He’s tough as hell…Whoa, this is the same man that I know?” Trump said, recalling his supposed phone interactions with leaders from both sides of the border.

Observers say Trump’s remarks reflect his penchant for self-aggrandizing narratives, where he positions himself as the decisive peacemaker or dealmaker. His reference to “reading that seven planes were shot down” only added to the confusion, as no credible source or intelligence report corroborates such a claim.

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