During the recent military conflict between India and Pakistan, the talks between the top leaders of India and the United States did not include any reference to trade, as clarified by government sources. This came after US President Donald Trump’s controversial remarks claiming that he used trade leverage to pressure both countries into halting hostilities. According to Indian officials, the conversations between US leaders and their Indian counterparts focused on the conflict but did not touch upon trade matters, contradicting Donald Trump’s assertions.
US Leaders’ Conversations on India-Pakistan Conflict
On May 9, US Vice President JD Vance spoke to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the escalating situation between India and Pakistan, but trade was not mentioned in their discussions. A government source confirmed, “After Operation Sindoor began, Vice President Vance spoke with Prime Minister Modi on May 9, but there was no reference to trade during that call.”
Similarly, on May 8 and May 10, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, but these discussions also lacked any reference to trade issues. Indian officials have consistently maintained that no third-party involvement, especially related to trade, influenced the ceasefire talks between the two nuclear-armed nations.
Donald Trump’s Trade Claims and the Ceasefire Agreement
However, President Donald Trump claimed during a press conference that he had successfully used trade as a bargaining chip to end the conflict between India and Pakistan. Donald Trump’s comments raised eyebrows as he stated, “I said, ‘Come on, we’re going to do a lot of trade with you guys. Let’s stop it. Let’s stop it.’ If you stop it, we’re doing trade. If you don’t stop it, we’re not going to do any trade.” He went on to say that his administration helped broker a “full and immediate ceasefire” between the two countries, which led to a temporary halt in the violence after four days of intense missile strikes and cross-border drone activity.
Donald Trump also mentioned that negotiations between the US and India were ongoing for an ambitious trade deal, and soon, the US would engage in similar discussions with Pakistan. He suggested that his involvement in ending the conflict was crucial in avoiding a potential nuclear escalation. Despite his assertions, the Indian government maintained that the understanding to end hostilities was reached solely through direct talks between the military leadership of India and Pakistan, specifically the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs), without any external pressure.
This exchange of statements highlights the difference in narratives regarding the role of international diplomacy in the resolution of the conflict, with the US and India offering different perspectives on the involvement of trade in brokering peace.
