Trump Claims He Brokered India-Pakistan Peace, Mocks Modi at APEC Summit
At the 2025 APEC summit, US President Donald Trump claimed he personally prevented a war between India and Pakistan by threatening trade sanctions, while mockingly impersonating Indian PM Narendra Modi. India vehemently denied any US intervention or trade linkage, criticizing Trump’s remarks as damaging to diplomatic relations amid ongoing trade disputes and strategic tensions.
During the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea on October 29, 2025, US President Donald Trump reignited controversy by asserting that he single-handedly brokered peace between India and Pakistan earlier that year through threats of imposing high tariffs. He described calling both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani leaders to pressure them into a ceasefire amid escalating military tensions following a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir. To emphasize his narrative, Trump imitated Modi, calling him “a killer” and performing a mock dialogue, which drew mixed reactions including discomfort among Asian delegates. India’s Ministry of External Affairs strongly rejected these claims, reaffirming no such trade linkage or US mediation occurred and asserting India’s preference to handle bilateral issues independently. The episode reflects and exacerbates existing strains in US-India relations over tariffs, sanctions on Russian oil imports, and geopolitical alignment. Indian officials privately expressed frustration at Trump’s dramatization of diplomacy and warned the comments risk alienating a key strategic partner. Experts highlight this episode as part of Trump’s broader pattern of self-aggrandizement in foreign policy ahead of elections, yet it risks undermining trust and pushing India toward diversifying international partnerships beyond the US. Despite the rhetoric, India maintains a stance of strategic autonomy, quietly affirming its dignity without official protests while trade tensions linger unresolved.
