US President Donald Trump praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “a very terrific man” but simultaneously stood firm on tariff threats and reiterated his claims of mediating global conflicts.

Trump said he could impose “a very strong tariff system” as an economic weapon in the Ukraine-Russia war, though he clarified it would not be immediate. His remarks came as the US administration prepared to enforce a new 25 per cent tariff on Indian imports linked to Russian oil transactions, on top of existing duties, with limited exemptions for electronics and pharmaceuticals.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Trump said, “It will not be a world war, but it could be an economic war, and that’s going to be bad for Russia.” He added that he had set deadlines for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to meet for negotiations, though he admitted difficulties in getting both leaders to agree simultaneously.

Shifting focus, Trump claimed credit for averting a “nuclear war” between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack by The Resistance Front, an affiliate of Lashkar-e-Taiba. He alleged that his intervention ended tensions after multiple fighter jets were shot down, though India has denied any US mediation.

Recalling his conversations, Trump said, “I’m talking to a very terrific man, Modi of India,” while describing parallel discussions with Pakistan. He claimed threats of high tariffs pushed both sides to the table within hours.

India, however, maintains that a ceasefire proposal came directly from Pakistan’s DGMO, not through US intervention.