US President Donald Trump, who is in South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, said during his speech on Wednesday that he is working on a trade deal with India and expressed admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking at the APEC CEO Summit, Trump said, "I'm doing a trade deal with India, and I have great respect and love for Prime Minister Modi. We have a great relationship."

During his speech, Trump also spoke about the past tensions between India and Pakistan. He said he had read reports that “seven planes were shot down”, referring to a period of conflict.

He added that during that time, he had spoken to both leaders.
Trump said, "I called Prime Minister Modi and said, we can't make a trade deal with you... you're starting a war with Pakistan. We're not going to do it."

He claimed that Modi wanted the trade deal to continue, but Trump refused due to the situation.

Trump said he then called Pakistan and delivered a similar message.
He shared, "We're not going to do trade with you because you're fighting with India. They said, ‘No, no, you should let us fight’. They both said that. They're strong people."

Trump also praised Pakistan’s leadership, saying, "Likewise, the Prime Minister of Pakistan is a great guy. They have a Field Marshal. You know why he's a Field Marshal? He's a great fighter. He's a great guy too... And so I know them all."

Trump described Modi as someone strong and strategic. He said, "Prime Minister Modi is the nicest-looking guy. He's a killer. He's tough as hell."

He claimed that after he threatened both India and Pakistan with 250% tariffs, the tensions reduced within days. “After literally two days, they called up and they said, we understand, and they stopped fighting,” Trump said.

Trump is in South Korea to attend high-level meetings and discussions at the APEC Summit in the city of Gyeongju.

He is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday.