August 27, 2025

In a stirring claim full of drama, US President Donald Trump said he played a direct role in cooling down a possible nuclear war between India and Pakistan earlier this year. Speaking at a White House cabinet meeting, Trump described his talks with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani leaders as "blunt" and very serious. Trump said he warned Modi sharply, “I don’t want to make a trade deal with you... You guys are going to end up in a nuclear war.” According to Trump, he threatened heavy tariffs and stalled trade talks until both India and Pakistan pulled back from the dangerous conflict. “Within about five hours, it was done,” he said, adding, “I'll stop it if it does [start again]. We can't let these things happen.” But hold on, the story isn’t so simple. India has firmly denied any outside help in ending the conflict. Top leaders like Modi, Rajnath Singh, and others said the peace came after direct talks between their military chiefs. No foreign mediation, they say! Adding fuel to the fire, Trump repeated his claim that several expensive fighter jets worth millions were shot down in the skies during the clashes. India, however, has not confirmed these numbers. The tensions exploded after a scary terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, where 26 innocent civilians lost their lives. The group behind it was The Resistance Front (TRF), linked to the notorious Lashkar-e-Tayyiba. India launched Operation Sindoor to hit terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. In a big move, the US labeled TRF a Foreign Terrorist Organisation in June. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pointed out, “The organisation claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.” India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar warmly welcomed this step as a sign of strong India-US counter-terrorism teamwork. While Trump’s dramatic claims steal headlines, another storm brews over trade. The US government announced plans to slap a hefty 50% tariff on Indian goods starting August 27, 2025. The reason: India keeps buying Russian crude oil despite global pressures. Facing this pressure, Prime Minister Modi hit back during a speech in Ahmedabad, rallying Indians to support swadeshi products. “For Modi, interests of farmers, cattle rearers and small-scale industries are paramount. Pressure on us may increase, but we will bear it all,” he said with firm resolve. Even with these ups and downs, both India and the US are keeping the doors open for talks. Recently, senior officials held a virtual 2+2 Intersessional Dialogue, focusing on defence, energy, regional security, and rare minerals. It seems the spicy mix of politics, trade, and security between the two giants will keep simmering for now!

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Tags: Donald trump, India-pakistan tensions, Trade tariffs, Modi, The resistance front, Us-india relations,