Washington,26 October (HS): On Sunday, while en route to Asia for a series of high-stakes summits, U.S. President Donald Trump again claimed credit for averting a major conflict between India and Pakistan earlier this year, while also repeating his assertion that India has agreed to cease importing Russian oil.
Speaking to the media aboard Air Force One, President Trump positioned himself as a global peacemaker, suggesting that resolving the India-Pakistan tensions was a significant diplomatic achievement.
I got it done, Trump stated, adding that he considered the India-Pakistan situation to have been potentially more difficult to resolve than the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
This is not the first time Trump has made such claims. He has repeatedly asserted that his administration, through talks reportedly mediated by Washington, secured a full and immediate ceasefire between the nuclear-armed neighbors . He has also linked this outcome to the threat of substantial tariffs, which he claims compelled both nations to de-escalate.
However, India has consistently refuted this narrative, maintaining that the cessation of hostilities was the result of direct negotiations between the two countries’ military leadership, without any third-party mediation.
In addition to his comments on the regional truce, Trump revisited his claim regarding India’s energy policy. He asserted that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him that India would halt its purchases of Russian oil, a move the U.S. has strongly advocated for to deplete Moscow’s financial resources.
He’s assured me there will be no oil purchases from Russia. He can’t do it immediately. It’s a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over soon, Trump had said previously. India has denied making any such commitment, emphasizing that its primary focus is safeguarding its consumer interests and ensuring stable energy supplies.
The President’s remarks come as he embarks on a three-nation tour of Asia, including stops in Malaysia for the ASEAN Summit, followed by visits to Japan and South Korea.
During the trip, he is expected to hold crucial trade discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping.When questioned about a potential meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump indicated that such a meeting would be contingent on a deal on Ukraine ceasefire, stating he would not be wasting his time otherwise.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
