President Donald Trump on Monday claimed that US intervention had averted a potential nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan. His remarks came after the two countries agreed to a ceasefire following a series of clashes.
“On Saturday, my administration helped broker a full and immediate ceasefire, I think, a permanent one, between India and Pakistan, ending a dangerous conflict of two nations with lots of nuclear weapons. And they were going at it hot and heavy, and it was seemingly not going to stop,” Trump told reporters at the White House, suggesting that American diplomatic efforts played a decisive role in defusing the crisis.
He also called the halting of military action between two countries one of the “historic events that took place over the last few days.”
“We stopped a nuclear conflict. I think it could have been a bad nuclear war, millions of people could have been killed. So I'm very proud of that,”
“We helped a lot, and we helped also with trade. I said, ‘Come on, we’re going to do a lot of trade with you guys. Let’s stop it. Let’s stop it. If you stop it, we’re doing trade. If you don’t stop it, we’re not going to do any trade,’” he said.
However, sources in Delhi denied that the US side took up trade issues during various interactions after Sindoor was launched.
“After Operation Sindoor commenced, Vice President J D Vance spoke to Prime Minister on May 9. Secretary of State Rubio spoke to External Affairs Minister on May 8 and 10 May and to National Security Adviser on May10. There was no reference to trade in any of these discussions,” sources said.
Days earlier, Trump was the first to take credit for the ceasefire in a post on his Truth Social platform. In a headmasterly tone, he wrote: "Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Interestingly, Trump’s declaration came before any official statement from either India or Pakistan, sparking a wave of criticism.
Opposition parties in India strongly opposed the notion of third-party intervention.
The Congress had earlier criticised the Centre for allowing third-party intervention in matters between India and Pakistan.
Accusing BJP of politicising the Aprill 22 Pahalgam terror attack on social media, Congress general secretary Bhupesh Baghel asked if US President Donald Trump announcing a cessation of firing between India and Pakistan was a diplomatic failure.
Echoing similar concerns, the CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby said Trump's announcement "regarding the ceasefire -- made prior to any official statement from our representatives -- has raised serious concerns."
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also voiced sharp disapproval, calling the US-mediated ceasefire a ‘blow to India’s sovereignty’ and ‘a serious compromise of national integrity’.
The ceasefire came three days after India launched Operation Sindoor to target terror infrastructure across the border in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack, and following Pakistan's escalatory response, which triggered a military build-up, that both countries had agreed to halt all firing and military action on land, air, and sea.
