United States President Donald Trump has once again claimed credit for stopping war between India and Pakistan, despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi clarifying that India has never accepted any third-party mediation on the issue.
"I stopped a war between Pakistan and India. I love Pakistan," Trump told reporters at the White House. He added, "Modi is a fantastic man. I spoke to him last night."
Earlier, PM Modi made it clear to President Trump that India has never accepted, and will never accept, any mediation on issues related to Pakistan. He reiterated that New Delhi had never agreed to such interventions.
Trump also referred to plans for a trade agreement with India, saying, "We are going to make a trade deal with Modi of India. But I stopped a war between Pakistan and India."
Praising both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan’s army chief General Asim Munir, Trump said, "This man (Munir) was extremely influential in stopping war from the Pakistani side, Modi from the other side. They were going at it and they are both nuclear countries... I stopped a war between two major nuclear nations but I don't think there's a story written about it."
Trump's comments came just hours after his 35-minute phone conversation with Modi, during which the Indian Prime Minister clarified that the decision to halt military actions between India and Pakistan in May was taken directly between the two armies.
“India has never accepted mediation, does not and will never do so,” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters, quoting Modi. Misri added that during the four-day flare-up between May 7 and 10, there was no discussion of a US-India trade deal or any mediation by Washington, “not at any time, or at any level.”
Modi also briefed Trump on the government’s stance following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, telling him that India had clearly conveyed its resolve to act firmly against terrorism.
“India had also made it clear that any act of aggression from Pakistan would be met with a stronger response,” Misri said.
During the call, Trump inquired if Modi could stop by the US on his return from Canada. Misri said the Prime Minister declined due to prior commitments but both leaders agreed to meet soon.
Trump was the first to announce the halt of India-Pakistan hostilities on May 10. Since then, he has repeatedly claimed credit for defusing tensions, even suggesting he used the threat of cutting off trade with both countries to push for peace.