WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump stated that as many as five fighter jets were shot down during the recent flare-up between India and Pakistan, which followed the deadly attack in Pahalgam.
His comments, made during a dinner with Republican lawmakers at the White House, came without specific attribution or details.
“Planes were getting shot out of the sky—five, maybe four or five—I think five jets were downed,” Trump said while referring to the brief but intense conflict between the two South Asian nuclear powers.
The hostilities began in April following a deadly strike in Indian-administered Kashmir, which left 26 dead. India held Pakistan responsible, though Islamabad denied involvement and urged a neutral investigation.
In the wake of the attack, India launched airstrikes across the border on May 7, triggering a series of retaliatory attacks involving aircraft, drones, missiles, and artillery. The violence continued for several days, claiming dozens of lives before a ceasefire took hold in mid-May.
Pakistan later asserted that its air force had downed five Indian jets during the aerial engagements. India, while acknowledging early setbacks, reported a shift in tactics and claimed it regained operational control before the truce was reached.
President Trump has publicly taken credit for brokering the ceasefire, citing diplomatic outreach by Washington as a key factor in halting the violence. On May 10, he posted about the ceasefire on social media, attributing it to U.S. intervention. However, Indian officials have contested that view, maintaining that the resolution came from direct bilateral efforts, with no third-party mediation.
While India plays a crucial role in the U.S. strategy to counterbalance China in Asia, Pakistan remains a long-standing American ally in the region. The latest episode is yet another reminder of the volatility in the India-Pakistan relationship, shaped by a long-standing territorial dispute and military rivalry.
