Trump Praises "Very Good Friend" PM Modi During Middle East Peace Summit

During a summit in the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh following the Gaza ceasefire, US President Donald Trump openly praised India and its leadership without explicitly naming Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"India is a great country with a very good friend of mine at the top and he's just done a fantastic job," Trump declared from the podium, expressing his belief that "India and Pakistan will live very nicely together."

As Trump made these remarks, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stood behind him, responding with a noticeable chuckle to the American president's optimistic assessment of India-Pakistan relations.

Earlier in the proceedings, Trump had praised Sharif and what he termed his "favourite field marshal," Pakistan army chief Gen Asim Munir, even inviting the Pakistani leader to address the gathering of world leaders.

When given the opportunity to speak, Sharif credited Trump with achieving peace in the Middle East through "untiring and relentless efforts." He further revealed that Pakistan had previously nominated President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his "extraordinary contributions" in halting hostilities between India and Pakistan.

Sharif expressed his intention to nominate Trump again for the prestigious award, citing the American president's role in "saving millions of lives not only in South Asia but also in the Middle East."

Following his recent exclusion from receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, Trump has claimed responsibility for resolving eight international conflicts, including the tensions between India and Pakistan. He has insisted that his diplomatic interventions were not motivated by pursuit of the Nobel recognition.

Trump's assertions about mediating the India-Pakistan situation date back to May 10, when he announced on social media that the two nations had agreed to a "full and immediate" ceasefire after a "long night" of Washington-mediated talks. Since then, he has repeatedly stated that he "helped settle" the conflict between the neighboring countries.

However, India has consistently maintained that the ceasefire arrangement with Pakistan was achieved through direct communication between the Directors General of Military Operations of both countries' armed forces.

The recent tensions escalated when India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. This military action came in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that resulted in 26 civilian casualties.

The conflict ultimately concluded on May 10 with a mutual understanding between India and Pakistan after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.