New Delhi, Jul 19: Amid renewed assertions by former US President Donald Trump about his role in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the Congress has called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to present a clear and direct statement in Parliament. This follows Trump’s latest claim that five military jets were downed during the May conflict and that hostilities were halted due to his administration’s intervention.
Addressing Republican senators at the White House, Trump remarked that both countries—armed with nuclear weapons—were “going at it” and that “four or five jets were shot out of the air.” He attributed the end of the standoff to the US leveraging a potential trade deal, insisting that peace was restored only after Washington intervened diplomatically.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticized the repeated claims made by Trump over the past 70 days, stating that the Prime Minister’s longstanding rapport with the former US leader—highlighted by events like Howdy Modi and Namaste Trump—requires a direct response in both Houses of Parliament.
Ramesh emphasized that Trump’s statement once again echoed two recurring themes: the US preventing a full-scale war between India and Pakistan, and the conditional nature of any trade agreement linked to a ceasefire. He added that the most recent “revelation” involving five downed jets demands immediate clarification from the Indian leadership.
The backdrop to these comments is the brief but intense Operation Sindoor launched by India on May 7, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack which claimed 26 civilian lives. The military operation targeted terrorist infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Following four days of cross-border air and drone engagements, India and Pakistan reached a ceasefire understanding on May 10 after direct talks between their military leaderships.
Since May 10, Trump has repeatedly claimed that the truce was a result of US-brokered diplomacy. However, India has consistently maintained that the ceasefire was the outcome of direct communication between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both nations, denying any third-party role.
Prime Minister Modi, in a phone conversation with Trump last month, reaffirmed that India has never accepted foreign mediation and that Islamabad initiated the ceasefire talks.
As the Monsoon Session of Parliament approaches, the Congress insists that Modi must clarify India’s position and counter the narrative repeatedly presented by Trump, which not only affects diplomatic perception but also challenges India’s long-held stance on bilateral conflict resolution.
Congress demands PM Modi to clarify Trump’s ‘Five Jets Downed’ claim in Parliament
