US President Donald Trump called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi “the most pleasant-looking person” and at the same time “a killer who is eager for a fight,” reports Bloomberg. US President Donald Trump stated that he threatened India and Pakistan with imposing 250% tariffs to push them to end their conflict and settle relations, Bloomberg reports. During a meeting with business leaders at the APEC summit in Gyeongju, he said that he called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi “a very pleasant-looking person,” but added that he is “a killer” ready for a fight. According to Trump, he personally called Modi and said, “We will not be able to make a trade deal if you start a war with Pakistan.” A similar call was made to the Pakistani authorities, who, he said, were told that both sides must cease hostilities, otherwise the U.S. would impose tariffs that “mean the end of business.” Bloomberg notes that this is not the first time Trump has claimed the role of mediator in the conflict. Indian authorities reject such statements, and Modi himself ignored the recent summit in Malaysia, fearing that Trump would repeat his statements about mediation. In May, other politicians also attempted to intervene in the conflict resolution: Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio negotiated with both sides, and after phone calls between the Indian and Pakistani military, a ceasefire was announced. Trump published this news on the social network Truth Social even before the official statements from both countries, causing irritation in New Delhi. Modi did not go to the ASEAN summit because of Trump. Trump’s statements were made against the backdrop of Modi’s election campaign: rivals are already using them in political struggles. Despite the previously warm relations between Modi and Trump, the Indian side has failed to secure a reduction in U.S. 50% tariffs on exports, partly due to India’s switch to Russian oil. Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India assessed the impact of energy trade restrictions on the world market. The Economic Times wrote that Washington and New Delhi have reduced tariff disagreements, but the import of Russian oil to Ukraine continues to cause tension. Bloomberg reported that the flow of Russian oil to India previously accounted for a significant portion of imports, but due to new US anti-Russian sanctions, this flow will practically cease. India’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Piyush Goyal, emphasized that the country will not enter into a trade agreement with the United States under pressure.
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