Washington, July 19 — US President Donald Trump’s repeated assertions about his role in mediating the recent India-Pakistan conflict continue to spark global skepticism, as no country, including India, has acknowledged any such intervention. India has unequivocally maintained that the ceasefire was a bilateral decision with no third-party involvement.
Adding fuel to the controversy, Trump has now claimed that “five fighter jets were shot down” during the May standoff between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. However, he did not specify whether the jets belonged to India, Pakistan, or a mix of both.
Speaking at a Republican Senators’ dinner at the White House on Friday, Trump said, “We stopped many wars — and these weren’t minor. What was happening between India and Pakistan was serious. Fighter jets were being shot down. I believe around five were taken down.”
He went on to say, “These are serious nuclear powers, and they were attacking each other. It felt like a new kind of war.”
Trump also drew parallels with Iran, stating, “You saw what we did in Iran — we completely dismantled their nuclear capabilities. But India and Pakistan were in a heated conflict, and we used trade to resolve it. We told them if you want trade deals, you can't be throwing weapons, maybe even nuclear weapons, at each other.”
India had launched “Operation Sindoor” on May 7 in retaliation for a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, targeting militant camps in Pakistan-occupied territory. The confrontation lasted four days and reportedly ended with a mutual agreement to cease military action on May 10 — without any third-party intervention.
Since then, Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for defusing the situation. However, India has publicly refuted his assertions. In June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly communicated to President Trump that at no point during the crisis was US mediation discussed or accepted.
Modi made it clear that India never has, and never will, accept any third-party mediation in matters concerning its sovereignty. The Prime Minister also shared details about Operation Sindoor, reiterating India’s firm resolve to respond decisively to terrorism.
Sources in India’s Ministry of External Affairs had revealed that Trump had expressed interest in stopping by the US while returning from Canada to meet PM Modi, but the latter had declined due to prior commitments.
Despite clear rejection from India, President Trump has continued to reiterate his claims, raising eyebrows on the global stage and prompting concerns about the accuracy and intent behind his remarks.
