U.S. doing a trade deal with India: Trump

U.S. doing a trade deal with India: Trump

At the APEC CEO summit in South Korea, President Trump says he has a great relationship with Modi. Trump reiterates claim that he used trade ties to resolve the India-Pakistan conflict in May

Trump says the leaders of India and Pakistan called him after two days and stopped fighting U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday said Washington is “doing a trade deal with India”, and emphasised that he has “a great relationship” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as both sides continue negotiations on a proposed pact.

“If you look at India and Pakistan... so, I’m doing a trade deal with India and I have great respect and love, as you know, for Prime Minister Modi. We have a great relationship,” Mr. Trump said at the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) CEO Summit in Gyeongju, South Korea.

“Prime Minister Modi is the nicest looking guy... he’s tough as hell,” Mr. Trump added. He landed in South Korea on Wednesday morning from Japan as part of a three-nation tour of Asia.

Mr. Trump, who did not elaborate on trade talks, reiterated his claim that he used trade to resolve the war between India and Pakistan in May. “I called Prime Minister Modi. I said, we can’t make a trade deal with you... (He said) No, no, we must make a trade... I said, No, we can’t. You are starting a war with Pakistan. We’re not going to do it,” Mr. Trump said.

He also praised Pakistan’s Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, calling him “a great fighter” and “a great guy.” “Then I called Pakistan. I said, we’re not going to do trade with you because you’re fighting with India and you know, two nuclear nations. And they said, no, no, no, you should let us fight. They both said that,” he added.

Mr. Trump claimed that the leaders of both India and Pakistan called him after two days and stopped fighting. “After literally two days, they called up, they said, we understand, and they stopped fighting. How is that? Isn’t that amazing? Now, you think [Joe] Biden would have done that?” Mr. Trump said.

The previous day, in Tokyo, Mr. Trump said he brought the war to an end in 24 hours. “Seven planes were shot down, seven brand new, beautiful planes were shot down, and they were going at it... two big nuclear powers,” he said at a reception and dinner with business leaders in the Japanese capital.

He added that he told Mr. Modi and Gen. Munir, ‘Look, we’re not going to do any trade if you’re going to be fighting,’”

“(They said) one thing has nothing to do with the other. I said this, it has a lot to do with the other …two nuclear powers…we get that nuclear dust all over the place. All of you are affected, right? And we said, No, we’re not doing any deals if you’re going to fight. And within about 24 hours, that was the end of that. It was amazing, actually,” the U.S. President said.

‘Under strain’

The U.S. President’s comment came at a time when the relations between New Delhi and Washington have been reeling under severe strain after Mr. Trump imposed 50% tariffs on India, including an additional 25% levies for its procurement of Russian crude oil.