US President Donald Trump has once again drawn attention to his role in averting a potential conflict between India and Pakistan, citing the May military clash as a major embarrassment for the Modi-led government.
During a dinner with business leaders in Japan on Tuesday, Trump highlighted the loss of seven aircraft in the confrontation and boasted of his efforts to broker a ceasefire. “If you look at India and Pakistan, they were going at it. Seven brand-new, beautiful planes were shot down,” Trump said.
Trump explained that he personally communicated with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir, warning that trade deals would be halted if hostilities continued. According to Trump, “Within 24 hours that was the end of that. It was amazing, actually.” He further claimed, “I think trade is responsible for 70 percent of the fact that we didn’t have wars.”
The US President also emphasized that his interventions prevented a larger escalation: “And we have no war with Pakistan and India. That was a very, very good thing.” He praised Modi personally, calling him “a great person” and a “great friend” over the years.
Trump has repeatedly taken credit for defusing tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, which have fought three wars since independence. The May showdown marked one of the worst clashes in decades, sparked by a terrorist attack on tourists in IIOJK’s Pahalgam area, which New Delhi alleged was backed by Pakistan. Islamabad denied involvement.
During the conflict, India reportedly killed several civilians in Pakistan before the Pakistan Armed Forces retaliated with Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, downing six Indian Air Force fighter jets, including three Rafale, as well as dozens of drones. After 87 hours, the war ended with a US-brokered ceasefire on May 10.
Trump framed the outcome as evidence of his diplomatic and trade strategies, claiming that “deals and trade” have helped prevent eight wars so far, underscoring his self-described role as a global peacemaker.
