PM Modi congratulates Trump on ‘historic’ Gaza peace plan, discusses India-US trade negotiations

In a post on X, the Prime Minister stated that he also discussed the ongoing India-US trade negotiations with President Trump and indicated that the two sides would intensify their engagement in the coming weeks.

“Spoke to my friend, President Trump, and congratulated him on the success of the historic Gaza peace plan. Also reviewed the good progress achieved in trade negotiations. Agreed to stay in close touch over the coming weeks,” PM Modi wrote.

Gaza ceasefire deal signed

Earlier in the day, Israel confirmed that all parties had signed the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release agreement in Cairo, marking a major milestone in the implementation of Trump’s 20-point peace plan for the war-torn region.

The plan, unveiled last month, came after more than two years of conflict triggered by Hamas’s October 2023 attacks on Israel.

“The final draft of phase one was signed this morning in Egypt by all parties to release all the hostages,” Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said.

“All of our hostages- the living and the deceased- will be released within 72 hours, bringing us to Monday.”

Under the terms of the deal, Israel will withdraw its troops from Gaza and free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the hostages. The agreement also guarantees a large-scale inflow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, where the UN has declared a famine.

The Israeli Defence Forces confirmed preparations to pull back in accordance with the ceasefire.

President Trump is expected to visit Jerusalem on Sunday and has not ruled out stops in Egypt or Gaza, signalling his intent to oversee the early phase of the accord personally.

While the initial stage focuses on the ceasefire and humanitarian relief, Trump’s broader plan envisions Hamas’s disarmament and the establishment of a transitional authority for Gaza, to be overseen directly by the US President — provisions that remain under discussion.

India-US trade talks

On the trade front, PM Modi’s statement follows remarks earlier this week by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, who said New Delhi and Washington are engaged in “continuous dialogue” to finalise a bilateral trade agreement.

“We are in constant touch with the US, and discussions are ongoing at multiple levels,” Goyal told reporters in Doha on Tuesday. “There is every possibility that we will meet the November deadline to conclude the deal.”

He reiterated that India would continue to safeguard the interests of farmers and the dairy sector, as it has done in recent agreements with the UK, EFTA bloc, and Australia.

The United States remains India’s largest trading partner for the fourth consecutive year in 2024–25, with bilateral trade touching $131.84 billion, including $86.5 billion in exports.

The US accounts for about 18% of India’s total exports, 6.2% of imports, and over 10% of the country’s overall merchandise trade.