Subhechcha Ganguly 
During his visit to Egypt, US President Donald Trump praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a “great friend,” even as Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stood nearby. Trump expressed optimism that India and Pakistan “are going to live very nicely together.”
Though invited to the Gaza Peace Summit, PM Modi skipped the event, deputing Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh to represent India. Yet, Trump’s public mention of Modi despite his absence underscored the continuing warmth between the two leaders.
The Trump-Modi camaraderie has been on display through social media exchanges, birthday greetings, and phone calls. In a recent gesture, Trump sent Modi a signed photograph bearing a handwritten note that read, “Mr Prime Minister, you are great.”
The US President’s remarks come against the backdrop of his earlier claim that he “stopped” the India-Pakistan conflict following the deadly April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people — a statement that once again highlights Trump’s changing but closely watched stance on South Asia’s geopolitics.
