On the day of his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump repeatedly claimed that he had stopped a war between India and Pakistan, while also commenting on New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil.
However, New Delhi has consistently maintained that India and Pakistan ceased hostilities after direct talks between their militaries, without any mediation from the United States.
I’ve negotiated five wars to their end, and they were tough ones. India, Pakistan…” US President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox News, just hours after his high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday.
The summit concluded without any agreement on ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
In the same interview, Trump again repeated his claim of resolving conflicts between India and Pakistan, along with others — including Congo and Rwanda, Thailand and Cambodia, and Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“Look at India and Pakistan. They were already shooting down airplanes, and it could have gone nuclear. I would have said it was heading that way — but I was able to get it done,” Trump asserted.
Stressing that wars are “very bad,” Trump said he believes he has “an ability to end them, to get people together,” using the “power of the United States.”
When asked how he settles conflicts like the one between India and Pakistan, Trump claimed he does so through trade.
“Because I deal with all the countries for trade, and while I have them on the phone, if I’m doing trade with one or both, I say, ‘we’re not going to do a deal unless you make peace,’” he explained.
In a separate Fox News interview aboard Air Force One en route to Alaska, Trump also spoke about tariffs on India.
“Well, he (Putin) lost an oil client, so to speak, which is India — they were doing about 40 percent of the oil. China, as you know, is doing a lot… If I impose what’s called a secondary sanction, or a secondary tariff, it would be devastating from their standpoint. If I have to do it, I’ll do it. Maybe I won’t have to,” he said.
Last week, Trump announced tariffs totaling 50 percent on India, including 25 percent for New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil. The tariffs take effect from August 27.
Responding, the Ministry of External Affairs said the targeting of India was “unjustified and unreasonable.”
“Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security,” the MEA said in a statement.
During the interview, Trump added that he would like to focus on domestic issues but keeps getting “these interruptions.”
“I’ve solved six wars in six months — from Pakistan to India, which was going to be a terrible one, with planes being shot down and nuclear powers involved — and many others,” he claimed.
Since May 10, when Trump first announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire, he has repeated this claim on several occasions.
India, however, has consistently maintained that the understanding to cease hostilities with Pakistan was reached directly between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries, without any US mediation. (Agencies)
