Trump claims credit for averting Pakistan-India war, says Modi assured restraint

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he had urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to avoid any conflict with Pakistan, emphasizing that diplomacy and trade pressure helped prevent a potential war between the two nuclear-armed nations.

Speaking to reporters during Diwali celebrations at the White House, Trump said he had “just spoken” to Modi and described their conversation as “great,” noting that they discussed trade, security, and regional peace. “We talked about trade… He’s very interested in that,” Trump said, adding, “We also talked a little while ago about no wars with Pakistan.”

He credited economic cooperation and dialogue for easing tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad. “We have no war with Pakistan and India—that was a very good thing,” Trump remarked, calling Modi “a great person” and “a great friend.”

Trump went on to claim that his administration had prevented eight wars through what he described as “deals and trade,” including one between Pakistan and India. He recounted that during a past standoff, “seven planes were shot down,” after which he called both sides and warned them the United States would halt trade if they continued fighting. “Within 24 hours, they called back and said they didn’t want to fight,” he said.

The comments come months after a brief but intense military clash between Pakistan and India in May, following an attack on tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam region. New Delhi accused Islamabad of supporting the attack, which killed 26 people — an allegation Pakistan firmly denied.

In the ensuing days, India carried out unprovoked strikes across the border, killing several civilians, before Pakistan’s military responded with Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, downing six Indian Air Force fighter jets, including three Rafales. The confrontation ended on May 10 after a US-brokered ceasefire brought both sides back from the brink of full-scale war.

Trump said energy and trade also featured in his latest discussion with Modi, noting that the Indian leader assured him that India would reduce its oil imports from Russia. “He’s not going to buy much oil from Russia. He wants to see that war end as much as I do,” Trump said, referring to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The claim comes amid growing trade tensions between Washington and New Delhi. The United States has imposed tariffs on Indian exports in response to India’s continued purchase of discounted Russian oil, which Washington argues helps fund Moscow’s war effort.

While Trump asserted that Modi had promised to curb Russian oil imports, India’s foreign ministry said it was unaware of any recent phone call between the two leaders. A White House official later said that India had already halved its purchases of Russian crude, though Indian sources noted no immediate reduction was visible.

Trade talks between the two nations continue, with Indian officials describing the negotiations as “congenial.” However, analysts say energy imports remain a key sticking point in the broader US-India relationship.