US President Donald Trump has once again claimed that he played a key role in brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in May. Trump said that his intervention prevented a major conflict from escalating, and that Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir told him that he saved millions of lives. Trump called it a “very beautiful move.”
According to Trump, the Pakistani Prime Minister and Army Chief visited him. Munir said, “This man saved millions of lives because he stopped the war.” Trump added that the situation was extremely serious at the time, and the conflict lasted four days, with reports of seven fighter jets being shot down.
What did Trump say?
He said, “India and Pakistan were at loggerheads. I called them both and said, ‘If you start a war, I’ll stop trade. You’re two nuclear nations, that can’t happen. I prevented this war.” Trump, however, did not specify which country lost seven aircraft.
India from their side on multiple occasions showed the proof of strikes on the terrorist hideouts in Pakistan, and also the airstrikes conducted on the airbases of Pakistan, where they lost multiple fighter jets on ground in hangars. The Indian Air Chief also claimed that the S-400 air defence system struck a target at a distance of 300 kilometers.
Repeated Denial From India
India has repeatedly rejected Trump’s claim. India maintains that the ceasefire agreement with Pakistan was reached through direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries, and not through any external interference.
Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, in a recent speech at the United Nations General Assembly, claimed that his Air Force shot down seven Indian fighter jets during the May clash. He said, “Our Falcons flew in and reduced seven Indian jets to scrap.” However, satellite imagery disproved Pakistan’s narrative. The imagery showed that Indian attacks had caused significant damage to the Pakistani airbase, destroying hangars and runways, while Pakistan’s retaliatory action failed.
Trump, referring to the incident, expressed displeasure that he might not receive the Nobel Peace Prize for it, while the honor could be given to someone “who did nothing.” However, he said that his priority was the nation’s interests, not personal recognition.