Tokyo: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that his threat to halt trade with both India and Pakistan played a decisive role in ending a four-day military standoff between the two nuclear-armed neighbors earlier this year, during which seven “brand new, beautiful” jets were reportedly shot down.
The confrontation described as the most intense military clash between India and Pakistan in decades erupted after an April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that left 26 people dead. New Delhi blamed Pakistan-based groups for the assault, an accusation Islamabad denied, calling instead for an independent international investigation.
According to defense experts, the hour-long aerial engagement, which took place at night in early May, involved as many as 110 aircraft, making it the largest air battle in recent history. Pakistani officials claimed they downed six Indian jets, including a French-made Rafale fighter, while India acknowledged losses but did not specify numbers.
Speaking at a ceremony in Japan, Trump said his administration’s threat to suspend trade relations was “70 percent” responsible for de-escalating conflicts worldwide, citing similar interventions between other nations.
“If you look at India and Pakistan, they were going at it seven planes were shot down, seven brand new, beautiful planes,” Trump said. “I told Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Field Marshal Asim Munir, that we’re not going to do any trade if you’re going to be fighting.”
Trump said the warning helped pave the way for the May 10 ceasefire, which Washington announced after talks with both sides. India, however, has disputed Trump’s claims, insisting that the truce resulted from direct military and diplomatic communication between New Delhi and Islamabad.
Since the ceasefire, Pakistan and the United States have expanded cooperation in areas including counterterrorism, defense, mining, and climate resilience. Both governments have also stepped up efforts to boost trade and technological collaboration, signaling a renewed commitment to long-term regional stability.
