Trump says he stopped India from imposing war on Pakistan again

Washington:United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he had helped stop a fresh conflict between Pakistan and India earlier this year, placing the episode among what he described as eight global crises he claims to have pulled back from the brink.

Trump made the remarks during a joint press appearance at the Oval Office with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is on his first visit to the United States in seven years. The president repeatedly painted himself as a key figure in preventing new wars and calming several long running disputes.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said he had used his office to stop fighting in multiple regions. He said he was especially proud of his role in South Asia. According to him, tensions between Pakistan and India were close to flaring again. Trump said, without offering details, that he stepped in at the right moment and helped prevent a serious clash. He added that both countries were now doing well.

Although Trump did not name the exact episode, the reference appeared to point to the May 2025 escalation, when Pakistan and India entered their fiercest military standoff in decades after a deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. New Delhi accused Pakistan of backing the attackers, an allegation Islamabad denied. Pakistan had called for a neutral investigation into the incident, in which 26 men were killed.

The confrontation intensified rapidly. Pakistan shot down several Indian fighter jets and numerous drones during the exchange of fire. The fighting lasted nearly four days before a ceasefire was reached on May 10. Washington was involved in the talks that helped bring an end to the clashes.

Trump has referred to this episode before. In a media briefing last month, he said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had thanked him for helping prevent what he described as a catastrophic nuclear conflict. Trump told reporters that Sharif had warned him such a conflict could have cost millions of lives.

The president again used the moment to publicise what he sees as a series of achievements on the global stage. He cited recent movement on Gaza, where hostage and prisoner exchanges were carried out, and repeated his claim that eight wars have been halted since he took office. He listed India Pakistan, Israel Iran, Rwanda Congo, Ethiopia Egypt and Armenia Azerbaijan as examples and said he now wants a breakthrough on Ukraine.

Trump also commented briefly on Russia, saying he was surprised that President Vladimir Putin had not settled the conflict sooner.