Former US President Donald Trump claims that five fighter jets were downed during the India-Pakistan conflict, asserting that his trade threats defused the nuclear-armed standoff.
Qalam Times News Network
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In a striking remark about the South Asian conflict, former US President Donald Trump claimed on Friday night that five fighter jets were shot down during the military confrontation between India and Pakistan in May. He added that his intervention—through trade threats—prevented the situation from escalating into a full-blown war.
Trump’s Bold Assertion at White House Dinner
Speaking at a private dinner with Republican lawmakers at the White House, Trump asserted that the conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors had reached a dangerous level. “Fighter planes were being shot down. I believe five jets were actually taken down,” he stated, without specifying which country suffered the losses.
Reiteration of Trade Threat as Diplomatic Tool
This is not the first time Trump has claimed credit for de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. He reiterated that his administration leveraged potential suspension of trade deals to pressurize both nations into agreeing to a ceasefire. “We told them, ‘You want trade with the United States? Then stop attacking each other. If you use nuclear weapons or continue with aggression, there will be no trade agreement,’” Trump recounted.
India’s Official Stand on the Issue
India, however, has consistently denied the Pakistani claim that five of its fighter jets were downed. In late May, India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, dismissed the allegations, affirming that no Indian aircraft had been lost during the standoff.
Congress Challenges Modi’s Silence
Trump’s remarks have stirred political waves in India. The opposition party, Congress, questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the issue. Taking to social media platform X, Congress wrote, “Trump says he stopped a war between India and Pakistan and five jets were shot down. Why is Modi silent? Did he compromise the nation’s honour for trade?”
Jayashankar Rejects External Mediation
Earlier this month, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar clarified in an interview that the ceasefire was strictly a bilateral decision, made without any foreign mediation. However, the US had positioned Vice President J.D. Vance’s conversation with Prime Minister Modi as a diplomatic push that led to de-escalation, a claim Trump amplified on his platform, Truth Social.
Trump’s Wider Claim: America Prevented Multiple Wars
During his address, Trump also boasted of having averted several global conflicts during his presidency. Referring to India and Pakistan, he remarked, “These are both nuclear powers, and they were attacking each other. We stepped in—using trade—and stopped what could have been a disastrous war.”
Rising Tensions, Conflicting Narratives
Trump’s latest claims have once again reignited debate over the conflict and America’s actual role in diffusing it. While the former president paints himself as a peace broker using economic leverage, official statements from India maintain that any resolution was internally driven. The discrepancy between narratives continues to fuel political and diplomatic speculation across the region.
