India, June 17 -- US President Donald Trump on Wednesday showered praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing him as both "beautiful" and a "tough" negotiator during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit.

Speaking alongside Modi, Trump said the United States and India were "very close" to finalising a long-awaited trade agreement, remarking that while Modi is "a beautiful-looking man," he is also one of the toughest negotiators he has encountered.

"We've been there for a little while, and he's a very tough negotiator - one of the toughest, actually," Trump said when asked about the status of the trade talks.

The US President also commented on his personal rapport with PM Modi, saying, ""He's been my friend fo...