Donald Trump has once again inserted himself into the narrative surrounding India-Pakistan relations, this time claiming to have stopped a potential "nuclear war" between the two nations and asserting that "five jets were shot down" during a recent conflict. These claims, made at a reception in the White House, have sparked controversy and drawn a sharp response from India, which has consistently denied any third-party mediation in de-escalating tensions with Pakistan.
Trump's recent remarks are not isolated incidents. Since May 10, 2025, he has repeatedly claimed credit for brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, even stating that Washington mediated talks that led to an immediate cessation of hostilities. He has also stated that he told both countries that the U.S. would engage in "a lot of trade" with them if they stopped the conflict. These claims have been met with skepticism and outright denial from India. New Delhi has maintained that the decision to halt military action was reached through bilateral channels, following a call initiated by Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) to his Indian counterpart.
Adding fuel to the fire, Trump, speaking at a dinner he hosted for Republican senators, claimed, "…planes were being shot out of the air...four or five. But I think five jets were shot down actually…that was getting worse and worse, wasn't it?". He did not specify which side lost the jets or whether he was referring to combined losses.
The Congress party has seized on Trump's repeated claims to criticize Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the issue. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stated that Trump has "trumpeted 25 times in the last 73 days" about his role in the ceasefire, while the Indian Prime Minister remains "totally quiet". Ramesh further accused Modi of finding time only to travel abroad and destabilize democratic institutions at home. The opposition party has also demanded a parliamentary debate on the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor launched by India.
Adding another layer to the situation, an American diplomat at the UN Security Council echoed Trump's claims, stating that the United States facilitated "de-escalations" between India and Pakistan. However, India's permanent representative to the UN, ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, countered that India stopped the military operation at Pakistan's request. "On achieving its primary objectives, a cessation of military activities was directly concluded at the request of Pakistan," he said.
It's important to note the context surrounding these claims. In May 2025, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. Following this, there were reports of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes between the two countries until a ceasefire was reached.
While Trump insists on the U.S.'s role in de-escalation, India has firmly rejected any suggestion of third-party mediation. In a nearly 35-minute phone call with Trump last month, Modi stated that India does not and will "never accept" mediation and that discussions between the Indian and Pakistani militaries were initiated at Islamabad's request.
