On the day of his high-profile summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, US President Donald Trump repeatedly claimed he resolved a potential nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan, despite New Delhi’s insistence that no US mediation was involved.
Speaking in interviews with Fox News, Trump asserted he had “solved” the India-Pakistan tensions among other global conflicts, including those between Congo and Rwanda, Thailand and Cambodia, and Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“I’ve negotiated five wars to their end, and the wars that were tough. India, Pakistan… They were shooting down airplanes already, and that would have been maybe nuclear,” Trump said post-summit, which failed to secure an agreement on the Russia-Ukraine war. He attributed his success to leveraging US trade influence, stating, “If I’m dealing with them… I say ‘we’re not going to do a deal unless you make peace.’”
Trump also commented on India’s purchase of Russian oil, noting that recent 50% tariffs, including 25% for oil imports, set to take effect on August 27, could impact India’s economy. “India was doing about 40% of the oil… If I have to do a secondary sanction or tariff, it would be very devastating,” he said aboard Air Force One. India’s Ministry of External Affairs called the tariffs “unjustified and unreasonable,” vowing to protect national interests.
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Since May 10, Trump has repeatedly claimed on social media and in public that he brokered a “full and immediate” ceasefire between India and Pakistan, offering trade incentives to halt hostilities. However, India maintains that the ceasefire was achieved through direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations of both nations’ militaries, rejecting any US role.
Trump’s claims, made hours after his inconclusive meeting with Putin, underscore his narrative of global peacemaking. “I’ve solved six wars in six months… Pakistan to India, that was going to be a terrible one,” he reiterated, emphasizing his use of trade leverage to de-escalate conflicts. As India firmly denies external mediation, the remarks highlight ongoing tensions in US-India relations amid Trump’s diplomatic assertions.
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