Trump Claims Success in India-Pakistan Tensions Amid Trade Disputes

Trump's Assertions on India-Pakistan Relations

On Friday, President Donald Trump of the United States reiterated his belief that he played a significant role in easing tensions between India and Pakistan, asserting that his diplomatic efforts were a "bigger success" than he is often credited for.

During an interview with a media channel, Trump remarked that both India and Pakistan harbored intense animosity towards each other, with tensions escalating to a level where a nuclear confrontation seemed plausible.

This marks the seventh occasion since May 10 that Trump has claimed the US facilitated a ceasefire between the two nations, a statement that has been met with skepticism from India.

India has consistently stated that "the issue of trade did not come up" in discussions with US officials.

Furthermore, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India's External Affairs Ministry, clarified on Tuesday that any military actions taken by India were strictly conventional, countering Trump's nuclear war speculations.

Despite these clarifications, Trump continued to express concerns, stating, "And the next phase was probably, did you see where it was getting? It was tit for tat. It was getting deeper and more, I mean, more missiles, everyone was ‘stronger, stronger’.”

He posed a rhetorical question about the potential for nuclear escalation, to which the interviewer confirmed, "Nuclear".

On May 10, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced a halt to military actions shortly after Trump claimed on social media that both countries had agreed to a ceasefire, which he alleged was mediated by the US.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also stated on social media that India and Pakistan had consented to "start talks on a broad set of issues" at a neutral location.

However, the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting clarified that the ceasefire was directly negotiated between the two nations.

They emphasized that there was "no decision to hold talks" on any other matters elsewhere.

The situation between India and Pakistan intensified on May 7 when the Indian military executed strikes, dubbed Operation Sindoor, targeting what they claimed were terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

This military action was a response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in 26 fatalities on April 22.

In retaliation, the Pakistan Army engaged in shelling Indian villages along the Line of Control, leading to the deaths of at least 22 Indian civilians and eight military personnel.

Pakistan reported that 11 of its military personnel and 40 civilians were also killed during the conflict.

Trump's Trade Comments

Trump repeats claims on tariffs

In the same interview, Trump stated that he was "using trade to settle scores and to make peace".

He remarked, "India… they are one of the highest tariff nations in the world, they make it almost impossible to do business," adding that they were willing to eliminate 100% of their tariffs for the United States.

Trump claimed that India was eager to reach a trade agreement with the US.

India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar reiterated that any trade deal must be mutually beneficial, emphasizing that negotiations are complex and nothing is finalized until all aspects are agreed upon.

Trump's reciprocal tariffs, which included a 26% levy on India, were implemented on April 9. However, he later reduced the rates on imports from most countries to 10% for 90 days to allow for trade discussions.

He has consistently threatened to impose a reciprocal tax on India and other nations due to their high tariffs on foreign goods.

These tariffs have raised concerns about a potential trade war that could disrupt the global economy and lead to a recession.

The Indian government has indicated that it is negotiating with the US to finalize a bilateral trade agreement by September or November.

Trump's comments came a week after India informed the World Trade Organization of its intention to impose retaliatory tariffs on the US following increased import duties on aluminum and steel to 25%.

India's tariffs may take effect a month after notifying the WTO, with the government stating that these actions are precautionary measures.