Key Takeaways
- Donald Trump claims his tariff threats resolved India-Pakistan conflict in 24 hours
- India firmly rejects third-party involvement, cites bilateral military channels
- Trump praises PM Modi as “great man” and suggests possible India visit
- White House reaffirms strong commitment to India-US partnership
Former US President Donald Trump has repeated his assertion that trade tariffs enabled him to prevent a major military confrontation between India and Pakistan within a single day. Speaking at a White House briefing, Trump claimed his intervention “settled” the crisis by threatening both nuclear-armed nations with economic penalties.
“Of the eight wars I ended, five or six were because of tariffs,” the President said. “If you look at India and Pakistan, they were about to fight – two nuclear nations. Eight planes were shot down. And I said, ‘If you guys are going to fight, I am going to put tariffs on you.’ They were not happy, and within 24 hours, I settled the war. Without tariffs, I wouldn’t have been able to do that.”
Context of the Claim
Trump was referring to border tensions earlier this year following India’s precision strikes on Pakistani terror camps. These strikes were conducted in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir in April.
Praise for PM Modi
During the same press conference, which mainly addressed weight-loss drug policies, Trump spoke warmly about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“He largely stopped buying from Russia. He is a friend of mine, and we speak. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a great man. He wants me to go there, and I will. We’ll figure that out,” Trump said, suggesting he might visit India next year. When asked about specific travel plans, he replied, “It could be.”
White House Commitment
Earlier this week, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized the administration’s dedication to strengthening India-US ties.
“The President is positive and feels very strongly about the India-US relationship. A few weeks ago, he spoke to Prime Minister Modi directly while celebrating Diwali in the Oval Office with senior Indian-American officials,” Leavitt said.
Consistent Narrative
Trump made similar claims at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in South Korea last week, stating he had “threatened India and Pakistan with tariffs” to avert potential nuclear conflict.
India’s Firm Rejection
The Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi promptly dismissed Trump’s account, clarifying that the ceasefire resulted from established military communication channels between the two nations’ Director Generals of Military Operations.
“India’s position remains unchanged- all issues with Pakistan are to be resolved bilaterally, without any third-party involvement,” the MEA reiterated.
