Trump praises India and PM Modi at Egypt peace summit: ‘India is a great country with a good friend of mine at the top’

US President Donald Trump lauded India during a summit of world leaders in Egypt following the ceasefire that ended the Israel-Hamas war. Speaking from the podium, Trump highlighted his close ties with Indian leadership without naming Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly.

“India is a great country with a good friend of mine at the top,” Trump said.

He added that he believes India and Pakistan could coexist peacefully in the future: “I think Pakistan and India are going to live very nicely together,” Trump said, as he looked at Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif standing behind him.

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Sharif praised Trump for his “untiring and relentless efforts” in mediating conflicts: “Pakistan had nominated President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his outstanding (and) extraordinary contributions to first stop the war between India and Pakistan and then achieve a ceasefire along with his very wonderful team,” Sharif said.

He also expressed willingness to nominate Trump again for the Nobel Peace Prize: “…for saving millions of lives not only in South Asia but also in the Middle East.”

Trump claims diplomatic successes

Trump has repeatedly highlighted his role in brokering international agreements. Before the Gaza ceasefire, he claimed to have resolved seven conflicts, including the India-Pakistan ceasefire, and increased the total to eight after the Israel-Gaza conflict.

“I did not do this for the Nobel,” Trump said, referring to the prize he missed last week.

India-Pakistan ceasefire

India and Pakistan reached a cessation of hostilities understanding on May 10 after four days of drone and missile strikes triggered by India’s Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 to target terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

India has consistently maintained that the agreement was reached through direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) of both countries, emphasizing a structured military-to-military negotiation rather than external mediation alone.

PM Modi welcomes Gaza ceasefire, hails Trump’s efforts

India welcomed the release of all 20 remaining hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, praising Trump for his role in brokering peace in the region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed support for Trump’s “sincere efforts” during a statement on social media platform X.

“We welcome the release of all hostages after over two years of captivity,” PM Modi said.

“Their freedom stands as a tribute to the courage of their families, the unwavering peace efforts of President Trump and the strong resolve of Prime Minister Netanyahu. We support President Trump’s sincere efforts to bring peace to the region.”

India’s stance

“India stands for peace in the Middle East and resolution of issues through dialogue and diplomacy,” The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

“We support the Gaza peace plan of President Trump and appreciate Egypt and Qatar for their valuable roles in achieving this and advancing the path to peace.”

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted: “India welcomes the signing of the landmark peace agreement and hopes that this will lead to lasting peace in the region.”

Gaza peace summit in Egypt

President Trump addressed the Israeli parliament before traveling to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to attend a peace summit co-hosted with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi. The summit brought together world leaders to sign a historic ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

“This is the first time the Middle East crisis has brought people together, as opposed to driving them apart, and to declare that our future will not be ruled by the fights of the generations past, which is foolish,” Trump said.

“So together, let us continue in the spirit of cooperation and goodwill that has finally brought us to this incredible, historic breakthrough.”

Under the peace plan, Israel has released nearly 2,000 prisoners and detainees, while Hamas returned the remaining hostages.

Humanitarian context

The ceasefire, effective since Friday, follows a year-long conflict that began when Hamas attacked Israeli cities on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israeli military operations have resulted in over 66,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.

Gaza continues to face a severe humanitarian crisis, with shortages of food and medicines and malnutrition rates deemed “alarming” by the World Health Organisation.

Trump hails “dawn of a new Middle East”

Trump described the ceasefire as a historic turning point: “After two harrowing years of darkness and captivity, 20 courageous hostages are returning to the glorious embrace of their families,” he said.

“This is the first time the Middle East crisis has brought people together… a beautiful and much brighter future appears suddenly within the region's reach.”