US President Donald Trump on Monday claimed he spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to prevent conflict with Pakistan, emphasizing that trade and diplomacy have played a key role in averting wars.
Speaking during Diwali celebrations in the Oval Office, Trump extended his “warmest wishes to the people of India” and described his conversation with Modi as “great.” He said they discussed trade and reiterated the importance of avoiding military conflict:
“Although we did talk a little while ago about let’s have no wars with Pakistan,” Trump stated. “The fact that trade was involved, I was able to talk about that. And we have no war with Pakistan and India. That was a very, very good thing.”
Trump Highlights Past Diplomatic Successes
Trump claimed he has prevented eight wars so far using diplomacy and trade leverage, including defusing tensions between India and Pakistan. He described a past crisis where seven planes were shot down:
“I called both countries and told them that if they went to war, the United States would stop trading with them. Within 24 hours, they called back and said they didn’t want to fight,” he said.
The two nations, both nuclear-armed, have fought three wars since independence and remain at odds over Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
Discussion on Russian Oil Purchases
Trump also noted that energy was part of his conversation with Modi, highlighting that India assured him it would limit oil purchases from Russia. India and China are the top buyers of discounted Russian crude exports, which the US has sought to restrict due to funding Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“He’s not going to buy much oil from Russia. He wants to see that war end as much as I do,” Trump said.
While Trump claims Modi committed to reducing Russian oil imports, India’s government stated it was not aware of any such conversation, emphasizing the need to safeguard Indian consumers’ interests.
Ongoing Trade Talks
Trade negotiations between the US and India continue, with tariffs and energy purchases remaining central issues. A White House official confirmed that India has halved its Russian oil purchases, though Indian sources noted no immediate reduction had yet been observed in imports.
Analysts say the reduction in Russian oil imports may only be reflected in December or January numbers, as refiners already placed orders for November and December shipments.
