New Delhi: With US President Donald Trump once again reiterating his claims about intervening in the India-Pakistan conflict, the Congress on Saturday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi make a clear and categorical statement in Parliament addressing Trump’s assertions made over the past 70 days.
The demand came after Trump reportedly said, “We stopped a lot of wars. India and Pakistan was one of them. Planes were being shot down—five jets, actually. It was escalating, and we stopped it through trade negotiations.” He claimed the US told both countries that a trade deal wouldn’t happen unless they stopped the conflict, noting that both are powerful nuclear states.
Congress communication head Jairam Ramesh said this was the 24th time Trump had made such remarks, again asserting that the US played a role in stopping a potential war between India and Pakistan. He pointed to Trump’s new claim that five jets may have been downed during the hostilities.
Ramesh stressed that given Modi’s close ties with Trump — referencing the “Howdy Modi” and “Namaste Trump” events — the Prime Minister must directly address these statements in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as the Monsoon Session begins.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that his administration mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan following intense military exchanges. On May 10, he announced via social media that both sides had agreed to a full ceasefire after late-night negotiations led by the US.
However, India has consistently denied any external mediation, stating the ceasefire agreement was a result of direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan. During a 35-minute call with Trump last month, Modi reportedly made it clear that India does not and will never accept foreign mediation.
India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. A ceasefire understanding was reached on May 10 after four days of drone and missile exchanges.
