Nearly 48 hours after praising Narendra Modi at a joint press conference at the G7 Summit, US President Donald Trump once again spoke highly of his “friend,” describing him as a ‘very tough cookie.’

In an upcoming interview with Axios, US President Donald Trump was asked which world leaders he is particularly fond of. Without hesitation, the 80-year-old Republican named two — Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi — while distinguishing how he described each of them.

Earlier, at the G7 Summit, Trump showered appreciation for his friend, saying that he is like an ‘angel.’

“You look at this man. I’ll give you a lesson. He’s the most beautiful-looking man. He looks so nice, like an angel,” Trump said.

However, the veteran leader was quick to affirm that Modi’s gentle appearance should not be mistaken for weakness.

“Actually, he’s as tough as he is a killer… But he looks so good. So he gets you by surprise. But there are a few people like this. People say he’s such a nice man. I said he’s very tough. He’s a tough trader, Trump added.

A PROMISE TO STAND TOGETHER

For New Delhi, the biggest takeaway from Donald Trump was Washington’s assurance of standing together if anyone dares to attack India and tries to harm its interests.

“We don’t have a formal (defence) contract… But if they (India) were attacked, we would be there to help,” Trump said.

In a light-hearted manner, he further added, “Now, if there is a new leader, I am not sure about it. But if they are attacked and he (Modi) is the leader, we are going to be there to help.”

At the G7 Summit, some moments reflected Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rapport with US President Donald Trump. As soon as Trump noticed Modi, he stood up from his seat to greet him with a handshake. The two leaders also posed together and stood in the front row for the official group photograph.