 "Trump claims five jets were shot down during India-Pakistan conflict")
US President Donald Trump has once again claimed that he played a decisive role in de-escalating the recent hostilities between India and Pakistan, which erupted following a deadly terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam on April 22.
Speaking during a dinner with Republican lawmakers at the White House on Friday, Trump also said that “four or five” military jets were shot down during the conflict, although he did not specify whether they belonged to India or Pakistan.
“In fact, planes were being shot out of the air. Five, five, four or five, but I think five jets were shot down actually,” he said while referring to the conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Trump did not provide any evidence or further clarification to support the claim.
This is the second time within a week that the US President has taken credit for mediating an end to the conflict, suggesting that his intervention through trade diplomacy prompted both the nations to agree to a ceasefire.
“We have stopped a lot of wars. And these were serious wars. India and Pakistan were going at it, and it was getting bigger and bigger, and we got it solved through trade,” he said.
Trump went on to reiterate that the US warned both the sides that a trade deal would not proceed if cross-border firings continued, suggesting this pressure helped bring the two militaries to the negotiating table. While Pakistan has publicly thanked Trump for his efforts, India has repeatedly rejected any suggestion of third-party mediation.
India denies external mediation; cites direct military talks
India has consistently stated that the agreement to cease hostilities came following direct communication between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the Indian and Pakistani armies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a nearly 35-minute phone call with Trump last month, firmly told the former US President that India “does not and will never accept” external mediation. PM Modi clarified that the dialogue between the two militaries had been initiated at Pakistan’s request.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, in response to the Pahalgam attack, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. Over the next four days, intense cross-border exchanges involving drones and missile strikes were reported.
On May 10, Trump announced via social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to an immediate ceasefire after a long night of talks mediated by Washington. Since then, he has publicly credited the US with brokering the ceasefire on more than a dozen occasions.
However, the Indian government continues to maintain that the decision to halt military action was reached solely through bilateral military channels, without any external intervention.