US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that as many as 11 military aircraft were brought down during last year's India–Pakistan conflict in May. Previously, he had stated that eight jets went down during the conflict.
Trump also claimed he had warned of imposing tariffs of up to 200%, arguing that financial pressure played a decisive role in ending the confrontation.
“People have no idea. A lot of them say, ‘Oh, well, they weren't fighting'. They were fighting, 11 jets were shot down, very expensive jets, and they were all in. Both of them were all in, and now they're not,” Trump said at a Board of Peace event.
However, he did not highlight which country's jets had been shot down.
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Coming to the threat of tariffs, he said, “But I said, ‘If you fight, I'm going to put 200% tariffs on each of your countries', which essentially would have meant that they could not have done any business with the US. One of them, I won't say which one, said, ‘No, can't do that'. They both wanted to fight. But when it came to money, nothing like money. When it came to losing a lot of money, they said, ‘I guess we don't want to fight'. And we solved that deal in two-three days.”
Trump once again said he personally contacted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to defuse tensions, despite India maintaining that it does not accept mediation by external parties. New Delhi has also rejected claims that any fighter aircraft were lost during last year's conflict with Pakistan, and dismissed Trump's assertion that the ceasefire was brokered by Washington.
Indian officials have repeatedly said the truce was reached directly through talks between the two countries' Directors General of Military Operations, reiterating that all issues with Pakistan, including Jammu and Kashmir, must be addressed bilaterally.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was present at the gathering, alongside leaders from other countries that have signed on to the organisation led by Donald Trump. During his address, Trump ran through a list of global disputes he said he had helped resolve, inviting representatives to stand as he named their countries.
He has repeatedly claimed responsibility for ending tensions between India and Pakistan, a claim he has made dozens of times since May 10 last year, when he announced online that both sides had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire following US-mediated talks.
India carried out Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, striking terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack, in which 26 civilians were killed.
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