Trump Thinks '5 Jets Were Shot Down' in India-Pakistan Conflict, Repeats Trade Deal Claim
New Delhi: US president Donald Trump has repeated – for the 24th time by some accounts – the claim that his invocation of trade led to the ceasefire between India and Pakistan in May this year. This time, though, Trump introduced a new line, about "five jets" having been shot down.
Trump said on July 18 that the India-Pakistan war was among the wars that he had stopped:
"We stopped a lot of wars. And these were serious, India and Pakistan, that was going on. Planes were being shot out of there. I think five jets were shot down, actually. These are two serious nuclear countries, and they were hitting each other."
Pakistan had claimed that it downed five Indian planes in air-to-air combat after India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror bases in response to the Pahalgam terror attack which killed 26 civilians in April. While the Indian Chief of Defence Staff and a defence attache have spoken of "losses", India has not yet spoken of the extent of it.
Trump also claimed that the US has "totally knocked out" Iran's nuclear capabilities in its strikes in June – which is a claim that has earlier been seriously questioned, including by American media. He said:
"You know, it seems like a new form of warfare. You saw it recently when you looked at what we did in Iran, where we knocked out their nuclear capability, totally knocked out that..."
Trump then repeated the 'trade' line .
But India and Pakistan were going at it, and they were back and forth, and it was getting bigger and bigger, and we got it solved through trade. We said, you guys want to make a trade deal. We're not making a trade deal if you're going to be throwing around weapons, and maybe nuclear weapons, both very powerful nuclear states."
India has opposed Trump's claims that the ceasefire was a result of his threats to stop trade talks.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also told Trump over a phone call that India had never, 'at any level', discussed a trade deal or third-party mediation with the US.
This, however, has not stopped Trump from repeating the claim.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has noted in a post on X that this is his 24th time repeating the 'trade' line. "The Prime Minister, who has had years of friendship and huglomacy with President Trump going back to Howdy Modi in Sept 2019 and Namaste Trump in Feb 2020, has to now himself make a clear and categorical statement in Parliament on what President Trump has been claiming over the past 70 days," Ramesh wrote.
The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Economic Times
26 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Breaking News Live Updates: Columbia University to pay $221 mn to settle federal probes
24 Jul 2025 | 06:40:42 AM IST Breaking News Live Updates: Columbia University said on Wednesday it will pay over $200 million to the U.S. government in a settlement with President Donald Trump's administration to resolve federal probes and to have most of its suspended federal funding restored. Breaking News Live Updates: Columbia University said on Wednesday it will pay over $200 million to the U.S. government in a settlement with President Donald Trump's administration to resolve federal probes and to have most of its suspended federal funding has targeted universities including Columbia since returning to the White House in January over the pro-Palestinian student protest movement that roiled college campuses last March, the Trump administration said it was penalizing the university over how it handled last year's protests by canceling $400 million in federal funding. It contended that Columbia's response to alleged antisemitism and harassment of Jewish and Israeli members of the university community was insufficient. Show more Talks between top South Korean and U.S. officials to negotiate over U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs have been cancelled due to a scheduling conflict for U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, South Korea's finance ministry said on two sides will reschedule the meeting between Bessent and South Korean Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol, as well as the top trade envoys of both countries, as soon as possible, the ministry was set to board a flight for Washington on Thursday to attend the meeting on Friday in the hope of hammering out a deal that would spare Asia's fourth-largest economy from Trump's punishing 25% tariffs set to take effect on August on South Korea heightened this week after Japan clinched a deal with the United States, which Trump said would see Tokyo allowing greater market access for American products including autos and some agricultural products. India's exports are increasingly vulnerable to climate-linked risks, with over two-thirds of outbound shipments exposed to tightening net-zero regulations in major markets, a study by Net Zero Tracker, a coalition of research groups at the University of Oxford, showed on 2024-25, India exported goods and services worth $824.9 billion, according to data from the Reserve Bank of India. The exports accounted for about a fifth of India's UK and European Union are rolling out stricter carbon policies, including carbon border adjustment mechanisms, which are tariffs on greenhouse gas emissions associated with production of certain imported goods. Talks between top South Korean and U.S. officials to negotiate over U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs have been cancelled due to a scheduling conflict for U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, South Korea's finance ministry said on Thursday. Former India tearaway Varun Aaron expressed his feelings about reuniting with old players in the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 and said that the team will try its best to defend its title in the is currently playing for India Champions in the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025. The India Champions lost their opening game to the South Africa Champions and will take on the Australia Champions on Saturday. The West Indies Champions started with a tie against the South Africa Champions and pulled off a close win against the England Champions. They will next play Australia Champions on on reuniting with the old players, Aaron told ANI, "It's a great feeling because we've all played so much cricket together. It's great to come back with your old friends and get onto the field. We're all looking forward to it. And I think it's going to be a lot of fun."

The Hindu
26 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Appeals court finds Trump's effort to end birthright citizenship unconstitutional, upholds block
A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday (July 23, 2025) that President Donald Trump's order seeking to end birthright citizenship is unconstitutional, affirming a lower-court decision that blocked its enforcement nationwide. The ruling from a divided panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals comes after Mr. Trump's plan was also blocked by a federal judge in New Hampshire. It brings the issue one step closer to coming back quickly before the Supreme Court. Also read: Donald Trump faces widespread criticism for his plan to end birthright citizenship The 9th Circuit blocks the Trump administration from enforcing the order that would deny citizenship to children born to people who are in the United States illegally or temporarily. 'The district court correctly concluded that the Executive Order's proposed interpretation, denying citizenship to many persons born in the United States, is unconstitutional. We fully agree,' the majority wrote.


The Hindu
26 minutes ago
- The Hindu
The Hindu Morning Digest: July 24, 2025
Modi begins U.K. visit, trade deal to be inked today Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the U.K. on Wednesday (July 23, 2025) evening, kicking off the first leg of his two-nation tour, as India and the U.K. prepare to sign a 'free trade' agreement (FTA) on Thursday (July 24, 2025). After 5 years, India to issue visas to Chinese tourists India will start issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals after a gap of five years, the Indian Embassy in Beijing announced on Wednesday. The announcement, that was called 'positive' by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, marks another step in normalising India-China ties ruptured by the military standoff at the Line of Actual Control and Galwan clashes in 2020. Kerala bids tearful farewell to V.S. Achuthanandan As the sun dipped over the Alappuzha coastline on Wednesday evening, the air grew heavy — not just with the weight of monsoon clouds, but with the silent grief of thousands bidding farewell to a leader who had become the conscience of Kerala's Left politics. V.S. Achuthanandan, the unyielding comrade, was cremated with full State honours at the Punnapra-Vayalar Martyrs' Memorial at Valiya Chudukkad at 9.15 p.m., on the very soil that shaped his life and struggles. U.N.'s top court delivers landmark decision on tackling climate change The United Nations' top court in a landmark advisory opinion Wednesday said countries could be in violation of international law if they fail to take measures to protect the planet from climate change, and nations harmed by its effects could be entitled to reparations. Two days before Bihar SIR deadline, 15 lakh yet to submit enumeration forms, one lakh untraceable: ECI Around 15 lakh Bihar voters are yet to submit their enumeration forms with just two days to go for the July 25 deadline as part of the Special Intensive Revision of the State's electoral rolls, according to data from the Election Commission of India. Another one lakh voters remain untraceable. India, U.K. to sign free trade agreement on July 24 in London India and the U.K. will sign a free trade agreement on Thursday (July 24, 2025) in London that will allow export of labour-intensive products such as leather, footwear and clothing at concessional rates, while making imports of whisky and cars from Britain cheaper. Mandaviya introduces sports governance bill for greater transparency in NSFs, including BCCI Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday (July 23, 2025) introduced the National Sports Governance Bill in Lok Sabha that proposes to institute a Board which will have sweeping powers to lay down rules and oversee the functioning of federations, including the cash-rich BCCI. Parliamentary proceedings: In five years, 295% rise in the number of people seeking de-addiction treatment, govt. data shows In the past five years, the number of people seeking de-addiction treatment for substance abuse at government-supported facilities has seen a 295% rise, data tabled in the Parliament on Wednesday showed. BJP accuses Samajwadi Party of holding 'political meeting' at a mosque; SP refutes the charge The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday (July 23, 2025) accused the Samajwadi Party of holding a political meeting at a mosque located close to Parliament, while the Opposition party refuted the charge. IndiGo's Ahmedabad-Diu flight aborts take-off due to technical snag A Diu-bound IndiGo flight from Ahmedabad carrying around 50 passengers and crew members aborted take-off at the last minute on Wednesday (June 23, 2025) due to a technical issue, sources said. Delhi HC grants anticipatory bail to NewsClick founder in two separate cases, including one on foreign funding The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (July 23, 2025) granted anticipatory bail to NewsClick founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha in two separate cases, including one filed by the Delhi Police over alleged foreign funding. Gait test conducted on accused in Kolkata law student gang-rape case The four accused in the Kolkata law student gang-rape case underwent gait tests inside a city correctional home on Wednesday (July 23, 2024) to help match their walking style with individuals seen in CCTV footage recovered from the college and its surrounding areas. PM 'shows weakness' by not responding to Trump's repeated claims on India-Pakistan conflict: Congress chief After U.S. President Donald Trump repeated his claim — for the 25th time, according to the Congress — that he had stopped the recent conflict between India and Pakistan, party leaders questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's continued 'silence' on the issue. Home Ministry begins moving out of British-era North Block The iconic North Block building at Raisina Hills in Lutyens Delhi will no longer be home to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The Ministry has been known by the address for nearly 90 years. Fewer foreign trips, protocol lapses upset Jagdeep Dhankhar; former Vice-President felt he had a diminished role Former Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, in his 35-month-long tenure, travelled abroad only four times for bilateral visits, and his office often had complained to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) over protocol issues, official sources told The Hindu. J&K leaders demand Statehood, decry Pulwama, Pahalgam 'security failures' Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary said on Wednesday (July 23, 2025) that the Pahalgam terror attack took place even though the former State has been governed by the Union government for the past 11 years. Bangladesh rights group demands 'independent investigation' into the air force jet crash that killed many in Dhaka The crash of a military aircraft in Dhaka that killed a large number of students and teachers should be properly investigated and the interim government should publish the names of the victims who perished in this incident, said a human rights outfit that is highlighting the unfolding state of affairs in Bangladesh under the interim government.