Former US President Donald Trump is again in the news after claiming that he intervened to avert a nuclear war between India and Pakistan, which he says were on the verge of going to war. In a recent interview, Trump said he employed trade as a diplomatic lever to pull both countries back from the precipice of war.
The Alleged Crisis
It was Trump's opinion that the situation between India and Pakistan had become perilous after the Pahalgam terrorist attack and India's Operation Sindoor. The military exchange involved missile battles and drone attacks, raising tensions to a level where, according to Trump, "the next phase was probably nuclear." Trump used the term "nuclear war" as "the N-word," highlighting the gravity of the situation.
Trump's Role in De-escalation
Trump asserted his intervention was a "bigger success than I'll ever be given credit for" and that he employed trade talks as leverage to urge both countries to back away from military action. He explained, "I'm using trade to settle scores and to make peace," implying that economic incentives were involved in persuading India and Pakistan to sign a ceasefire2.
India's Response
While Trump has consistently taken credit for mediating peace, India has not made any official recognition of his involvement in the ceasefire deal. Indian authorities insist that the initiative to end the hostilities was initiated through direct military-level talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both nations, without mediation by the U.S. They have also made it clear that trade was not a subject of these negotiations, going against Trump's assertion.
The Bigger Picture
Trump's statement underscores his emphasis on employing economic leverage as a diplomatic strategy. Nevertheless, the absence of official Indian confirmation regarding his role leaves room for speculation about the degree of his participation. As much as trade can be an effective tool in geopolitics, whether it was instrumental in averting a nuclear war between India and Pakistan is uncertain.
No matter how true the accusations against Trump are, the incident highlights the fragile state of India-Pakistan relations and the need for diplomatic initiatives—be it through trade, direct talks, or mediation by a third party—to keep the region stable.
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