Trump’s Flattery Game: Praises Modi to Push a New Trade Deal
Trump praises Modi and claims he stopped an India-Pakistan war; experts tell Barkha Dutt why India stays firm and unmoved by his flattery.
In an exclusive Mojo Story discussion hosted by Zaffar Iqbal (senior Editor), panelists analyzed former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent comments praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and claiming to have averted war between India and Pakistan through “trade pressure.” The panel included Lt. Gen. D.K. Katoch (Retd), a defense expert, and Ravinder Sachar, author of a detailed book on Trump’s leadership style.
Trump, while addressing a business gathering in South Korea, called Modi “the nicest-looking guy” and “tough as hell,” asserting he personally intervened to stop conflict between the two nuclear powers. However, India has consistently denied any such mediation, maintaining that all discussions with Pakistan remain bilateral.
General Katoch dismissed Trump’s claims as “imagined memories,” clarifying that no record exists of a phone call between the two leaders. He emphasized India’s firm policy of independent decision-making and refusal to be pressured into deals that compromise national interest. Sachar, meanwhile, described Trump’s approach as classic “New York-style negotiation” — built on flattery, ego, and deal-making theatrics.
Both experts agreed that while Trump’s comments were largely aimed at a domestic U.S. audience, India’s cautious and measured response reflects its diplomatic maturity. Zaffar Iqbal concluded that India remains steadfast in protecting its strategic autonomy, refusing to be drawn into Trump’s style of headline-driven diplomacy.
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