‘Nicest looking guy but tough as hell’: Donald Trump praises PM Modi, hints at long-pending US-India trade deal

US President Donald Trump, during his address at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in South Korea, called PM Modi the "nicest looking guy" who is "tough as hell".

He once again made his claim about his talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during the conflict between India and Pakistan in May.

Donald Trump:

Prime Minister Modi is the nicest-looking guy. He's a killer. He's tough as hell. pic.twitter.com/NeLphNMJBf

— IndiaWarMonitor (@IndiaWarMonitor) October 29, 2025

Donald Trump praises PM Modi, hints at trade deal with India

"I am doing a trade deal with India and I've great respect and love for PM Modi ... and India-Pakistan were going at it, they are two nuclear nations. And I called PM Modi and told him that I can't do a trade deal with you ... then I called Pakistan PM and told him we can't do trade with you because you're fighting with India. And they said 'no, no, no, we would like fight'," Trump claimed.

"They are strong people. PM Modi is the nicest looking guy. He looks like you'd like to have your father (to be like him). And he is a killer, he is tough as hell," Trump said before impersonating the Indian Prime Minister by saying "No, we will fight" in an accent.

Trump further claimed that after two days, both India and Pakistan called and said they would stop fighting. "Isn't that amazing?" he asked.

Lauding Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir during his speech, Trump called the army chief a "great guy".

India has rejected claims by Trump that he was involved in the ceasefire with Pakistan, saying there was no involvement by any third country. PM Modi himself made this clear to Donald Trump during a telephonic conversation with him in June.

Trump, in his characteristic style, has often been extravagantly praising PM Modi in his speeches. He has often described Modi as his "friend," "a total killer", and “nicest human being.”

However, Trump didn't mention the timeline for the long-pending trade deal between India and the US.

India has signalled that the much-awaited trade deal with the US could be nearing completion. Just last week, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said trade talks between India and the US were progressing and a “fair and equitable deal” was likely to be worked out in the near future.

”We are in dialogue with the United States of America (USA). Our teams are engaged. We recently had the Commerce Secretary visit the US. And he met with his counterparts. We continue to engage with them, and the talks are progressing,” Goyal said.

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