Former US President Donald Trump has reiterated his claim that he prevented a potential nuclear war between India and Pakistan in May 2025 by threatening to cancel all trade agreements with both countries unless they ceased hostilities.

Speaking at the White House, Trump detailed how he instructed senior officials, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, to warn New Delhi and Islamabad that continued conflict would result in the termination of all US trade deals.

According to Trump, this ultimatum led both nations to call back and agree to stop fighting, with Trump stating, "You want to have trade with the United States or use nuclear weapons on each other? We're not going to allow that. They both agreed. They both have great leaders".

Trump referred to the four-day conflict that began on May 7, 2025, marked by missile and drone strikes across the India-Pakistan border, and ended with a ceasefire on May 10. He took credit for deescalating the situation, describing it as a crisis that "was going to be maybe nuclear" and emphasising the role of US pressure in achieving the ceasefire.

However, the Indian government has consistently denied that any third-party mediation played a role in the ceasefire. New Delhi maintains that the cessation of hostilities was the result of direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries. A statement from India's Foreign Secretary on May 10 confirmed that both sides agreed to halt all firing and military action following a direct hotline conversation between their military leaders, with further talks scheduled for May 12. 

Indian officials have reiterated that the ceasefire was negotiated bilaterally, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly told Trump that India would "never accept" any form of external mediation, clarifying that the discussions to end hostilities were initiated at Pakistan's request and conducted directly between the two militaries.

International reports note that while the US, along with other countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UK, and Turkey, was in communication with both sides during the crisis, India downplayed any third-party involvement, consistent with its longstanding policy of treating such issues as bilateral matters. Pakistani officials, on the other hand, acknowledged the involvement of multiple governments in facilitating the truce.

While Trump has publicly claimed credit for averting a nuclear conflict through the threat of trade sanctions, Indian authorities have firmly attributed the ceasefire to direct military-level negotiations, rejecting any suggestion of US mediation.

Agencies