Claim Details: US President Donald Trump made a sensational claim during a dinner with Republican lawmakers at the White House that his intervention prevented a major military conflict between India and Pakistan. He said: “I helped prevent several major wars. The situation between India and Pakistan had become very serious. Fighter jets were being destroyed in the fighting, probably about five fighter jets were shot down. Both countries are armed with nuclear weapons and were attacking each other.” Trump added that the conflict had escalated as a result of India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’ after the Pahalgam attack, but it was prevented by his diplomatic efforts and pressure through trade. He said: “We said if you guys continue to use weapons (and maybe nuclear weapons), we will not make any trade deals.” Fighter jet downing controversy: Trump claimed that several fighter jets were downed during the conflict between India and Pakistan in May 2025, but he did not clarify whether these jets belonged to India or Pakistan. On the other hand, Indian Air Marshal AK Bharti had said on May 10 that India had shot down several ‘high-tech’ Pakistani fighter jets, but did not mention the number. Pakistan denied India’s claim and said that only one Pakistan Air Force (PAF) aircraft was hit lightly. In contrast, Pakistan claimed that it had shot down six Indian fighter jets, including a Rafale. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan rejected Pakistan’s claim, saying: “Some fighter jets were shot down in the initial phase of the conflict, but the important thing is that we learned from our mistakes and gave a befitting reply to Pakistan. It is not important how many planes were shot down, but why they were shot down.” Background: The dispute began after the Pahalgam attack, when India retaliated against Pakistan under ‘Operation Sindoor’. This led to aerial clashes between the two countries, in which fighter jets were reportedly shot down. Trump has repeatedly called for a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, but his recent statements have garnered global attention. An ex-post said: “Trump’s claim that he prevented the India-Pakistan conflict has once again become a topic of debate. But what is the truth, no one knows.” Socio-political implications: Trump’s claim highlights his diplomatic success on the one hand, but on the other hand, it also reveals the fragile relations between the two countries. Experts say that preventing the conflict between the two nuclear powers is indeed a great achievement, but questions are being raised about the veracity of this claim. A political analyst said: “Trump’s statements are often full of exaggeration, but if he really prevented the conflict, it is an important step for world peace.” Source The Hindu: https://www.thehindu.com Indian Express: https://indianexpress.com Times of India: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com X-Posts: https://x.com/GlobalAffairs, https://x.com/SouthAsiaNews