US President Donald Trump has once again touted his supposed role in brokering peace between India and Pakistan as a cornerstone achievement of his first year in his second term.

In a White House document titled "365 Wins in 365 Days", released on 20 January 2026, this claim features prominently under the section "Reasserting American Leadership on the World Stage".

The listing revives Trump's narrative of averting nuclear escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

During a press briefing marking the anniversary of his inauguration, Trump elaborated on the episode with characteristic flair. He claimed to have "ended eight unendable wars in 10 months", spotlighting the India-Pakistan conflict. "Pakistan and India. They were really going at it. Eight planes were shot down. They were going to go nuclear, in my opinion," he stated, upping his previous tally of seven downed aircraft.

Trump recounted hosting Pakistan's Prime Minister, who allegedly credited him with saving "10 million people" and possibly more. This assertion echoes statements he has made repeatedly since 10 May 2025, positioning the ceasefire as a personal triumph worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize.

He voiced frustration over the award's absence, quipping, "Should have gotten the Nobel Prize for each war. But I don't say that. I saved millions and millions of people."

He took a swipe at the Nobel Committee, based in Norway, insisting "Norway controls the shots". Trump name-dropped "Maria" – likely a reference to a Norwegian figure – praising her supposed endorsement: "She said, I don't deserve the Nobel Prize. He does." Such remarks underscore his ongoing campaign for recognition, blending bravado with conspiracy-tinged rhetoric.

The backdrop to these claims traces to April 2025, when a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, claimed 26 lives. India attributed the assault to Pakistan-based militants, prompting Operation Sindoor on 9 May. Indian forces conducted precision strikes on terror infrastructure across the border, marking a bold escalation in response to repeated provocations.

Hostilities intensified swiftly, with aerial skirmishes reported along the Line of Control. Both sides traded accusations of airspace violations and downed aircraft, though exact figures remain contested. Pakistan claimed to have shot down Indian jets, while India reported neutralising Pakistani drones and fighters. Trump's narrative inflates this to "eight planes", without specifying origins.

By 10 May, just a day after Operation Sindoor's launch, de-escalation began. Indian officials maintain that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) initiated contact with his Indian counterpart, requesting an immediate ceasefire. New Delhi agreed, emphasising direct bilateral channels. No third-party mediation was acknowledged, let alone US involvement.

India has consistently rebutted Trump's version since his first public mention in May 2025. Ministry of External Affairs spokespersons described the peace as a product of India's military resolve and Pakistan's backchannel plea, dismissing external brokerage as "fiction".

This stance aligns with New Delhi's long-held policy of bilateral dispute resolution, encapsulated in the Simla Agreement of 1972.

Pakistan's position has been more ambiguous. While Islamabad praised the ceasefire publicly, it has not explicitly credited Trump. The visiting Prime Minister's purported quote remains unverified by Pakistani records, raising questions about its authenticity. Analysts suggest Trump may be embellishing diplomatic courtesies into a heroic intervention.

Geopolitically, Trump's claims fit a pattern of self-attributed foreign policy victories, reminiscent of his Abraham Accords boasts from his first term. Yet, they risk straining US-India ties, already robust under the Quad framework. New Delhi values strategic autonomy and has grown wary of US election-year narratives that insert Washington into South Asian flashpoints.

The "365 Wins" document amplifies this by framing the episode as evidence of American resurgence. It lists the ceasefire alongside deal-making with China and Middle East stabilisations, projecting Trump as a singular peacemaker. Critics, including fact-checkers, highlight discrepancies: no US diplomatic cables or UN records corroborate direct intervention.

Trump's Nobel fixation persists, with past nominees like his envoy Richard Grenell floated unsuccessfully. His Norway jabs evoke 2018 snubs, when the Committee honoured others amid his North Korea overtures. This latest iteration, tied to a real but misrepresented crisis, may energise his base but invites ridicule from international observers.

India-Pakistan tensions simmer on, with the Pahalgam attack's masterminds still at large per Indian assessments. Operation Sindoor showcased indigenous precision munitions like the BrahMos missile, bolstering New Delhi's deterrence posture.

The swift ceasefire underscored nuclear thresholds, yet Trump's retelling casts it as his personal averting of Armageddon.

As Trump's second term unfolds, such claims could influence US South Asia policy. With Pakistan facing economic woes and India advancing self-reliance in defence, Washington's leverage remains pivotal. Whether this episode yields tangible diplomatic dividends or merely rhetorical flourishes bears watching.

Based On ANI Report