Washington, Oct 26:
President Donald Trump has once again claimed that he prevented India and Pakistan from escalating their military confrontation in 2025 by threatening both countries with steep tariffs, bringing Operation Sindoor into his campaign speeches ahead of the US midterm elections.
Addressing an election rally in Florida on Friday, Trump said the two nuclear-armed neighbours had been angry with each other but stopped fighting after he warned that they would face tariffs of up to 250 per cent if they continued the conflict. He also claimed that 11 aircraft had been shot down and said he deserved recognition for his efforts to stop wars.
Trump said he had not received assistance from the United Nations in his claimed intervention. He also expressed disappointment over not winning the Nobel Peace Prize, saying he had helped settle several conflicts but had not received the award.
India launched Operation Sindoor in May 2025 following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed several lives. Indian forces targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir as part of the military operation.
India has repeatedly rejected Trump’s claims that he brokered a ceasefire between New Delhi and Islamabad. According to India’s account, military action was paused on May 10, 2025, following a request from Pakistan, and the understanding to stop hostilities was reached directly between the two countries.
Trump’s references to India and Pakistan have become part of his broader effort to present himself as a leader capable of resolving international conflicts. His remarks come as candidates campaign ahead of the November 3 US midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress.
The differing accounts of the events underline the sensitivity of claims about third-party mediation in India-Pakistan relations. New Delhi has maintained that the cessation of military action was agreed directly between the two sides, rather than through an external mediator.