Donald Trump has once again asserted that his tariff powers were instrumental in preventing a full-blown war between India and Pakistan during the Operation Sindoor military actions earlier this year. Speaking at a White House briefing on Monday, Trump claimed his administration's ability to impose tariffs served as a critical tool in de-escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations.
"If I didn't have the power of tariffs, you would have at least four of the seven wars raging," Trump stated. He specifically cited the conflict between India and Pakistan, triggered by India's Operation Sindoor in May 2025, as a prime example. This operation involved air and missile strikes against alleged terrorist bases in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan, following an attack in Pahalgam that resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians.
Trump claimed that "seven planes were shot down" during the conflict, and that the situation was rapidly escalating towards a potential nuclear war. He stated he intervened by threatening both countries with trade restrictions if they did not cease hostilities. "I said, 'You want to trade? We are not doing any trade or anything with you if you keep fighting, you've got 24 hours to settle it'," Trump recounted. He emphasized the effectiveness of his approach, saying, "Not only did we make hundreds of billions of dollars, but we're a peacekeeper because of tariffs".
This is not the first time Trump has made such claims. In the past, he has repeatedly stated that his administration's tariff policies helped to prevent a "nuclear war" between India and Pakistan. However, these claims have been consistently refuted by India. The Ministry of External Affairs has maintained that no third-party mediation was sought or accepted during Operation Sindoor, and that a ceasefire was reached following direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also stated that no world leader asked India to halt its counter-terror operation.
Despite India's denials, Trump has continued to stand by his version of events. In late September 2025, he suggested he deserved the Nobel Prize for "ending seven wars," including the alleged conflict between India and Pakistan. He credited trade as the tool he used to de-escalate the situation, stating, "They want to trade... when you take a look at all of these wars that we've stopped".
Trump's recent remarks come amidst a period of strained relations between the U.S. and India, marked by increasing trade disputes and the imposition of significant tariffs on Indian goods. In August 2025, the Trump administration imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods, later doubling it to 50%. These tariffs were partly motivated by India's continued imports of Russian oil, despite warnings from the U.S.
Experts suggest that Trump's actions may be aimed at pressuring India to reduce its reliance on Russian energy and to align its trade policies more closely with those of the United States. However, some analysts have warned that these policies could backfire, potentially pushing India closer to Russia and China. Despite the trade tensions, the U.S. State Department has affirmed that it still views India as a critical partner in the Indo-Pacific region and a democratic counterweight to China.
