US President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed he had averted an India-Pakistan war by threatening 250 per cent tariffs on both countries, adding a couple of new details to his repeated assertions of having brokered peace between the two countries.
“If it weren’t for the tariffs… I said I was going to put 250 per cent tariffs on each country which means you’ll never do business.… That’s a nice way of saying we don’t want to do business with you,” Trump said at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in South Korea.
The US President was citing the India-Pakistan situation as an example of how he had leveraged trade to secure peace in conflict situations. India maintains that no third party played a role in the cessation of the May 7-10 hostilities with Pakistan.
Trump showered equal praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Pakistan army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.
“I’m doing a trade deal with India, and I have great respect and love for Prime Minister Modi. We have a great relationship,” he said.
“Likewise, the Prime Minister of Pakistan is a great guy. They have a field marshal. You know why he’s a field marshal? He’s a great fighter… he’s a great guy too… I know them all. I’m reading that seven planes were shot down (during Operation Sindoor)…. These are two nuclear nations. And they’re really going at it.
“And I called Prime Minister Modi and said, ‘We can’t make a trade deal with you’. ‘No, no, we must make a trade deal’. I said, ‘No, we can’t. You’re starting a war with Pakistan. We’re not going to do it’.”
Trump continued: “And then I called Pakistan and said, ‘We’re not going to do trade with you because you’re fighting with India.… They said, ‘No, no, you should let us fight’. They both said that. They’re strong people.
“Prime Minister Modi is the nicest-looking guy…. He’s a killer. He’s tough as hell. ‘No, we will fight’. I said, ‘Whoa, is this the same man that I know?’... After literally two days, they called up and they said, ‘We understand’, and they stopped fighting. How is that? Isn’t that amazing? Now, you think (former US President Joe) Biden would have done that? I don’t think so.…”
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi seized on the opportunity to keep alive the narrative of the Modi government having agreed to a “ceasefire” at Trump’s
bidding.
“Trump is insulting Modi in country after country. Latest is South Korea. Repeated that he used trade to frighten Modi into stopping Operation Sindoor. Said 7 planes were shot down. Don’t be scared Modi ji, find the courage to respond,” Rahul posted on X.
Earlier in the day, Congress communications-in-charge Jairam Ramesh had once again underlined that the first announcement of the “ceasefire” had come from the US.
He had added that Trump had aired his claim of having brokered peace between India and Pakistan 56 times since May 10.
Ramesh also underscored that Trump had made the assertion not just on home soil but also during his foreign visits. He listed the UK, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Japan and South Korea as the countries where the US President had brought this up.
Trump’s latest and more detailed narrative on the India-Pakistan “ceasefire” came soon after the US Senate voted against his 50 per cent tariffs on Brazil, with five Republicans joining hands with Democrats to get the resolution passed. Brazil and India are the two countries on which Trump has imposed up to 50 per cent tariffs.
According to the US broadcaster NBC News, “The Senate rebuke of Trump is largely symbolic since the House (of Representatives) is unlikely to take it up anytime soon, if at all. The House last month passed a measure that blocks votes challenging Trump’s tariffs into next year.”
