By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: President Donald Trump said on Friday that up to five fighter jets were shot down during the recent military escalation between India and Pakistan, a conflict that erupted after an April militant attack in occupied Kashmir.
Speaking at a dinner with Republican lawmakers at the White House, Trump also took credit for the ceasefire that halted the hostilities in May, a claim that India has sharply disputed. Trump, addressing the gathered lawmakers, highlighted the intensity of the fighting.
“In fact, planes were being shot out of the air. Five, five, four or five, but I think five jets were shot down actually,” he said, offering no clarification on which nation’s aircraft he meant. The ambiguity left open questions about the extent of losses suffered by each side in the flare-up between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
The conflict traced its origins to an attack in occupied Kashmir in April that killed 26 people. India quickly pointed the finger at Pakistan, accusing it of orchestrating the assault. Pakistan rejected the allegations, urging a neutral investigation into the incident. Washington condemned the attack but refrained from directly implicating Islamabad, a stance that underscored the delicate balance of U.S. diplomacy in the region.
Tensions escalated sharply on May 7, when Indian jets crossed the border and bombed sites that New Delhi described as “terrorist infrastructure.” The strikes triggered a fierce exchange of attacks, with both sides deploying fighter jets, missiles, drones, and artillery. Dozens were killed in the ensuing clashes, which persisted until a ceasefire took hold three days later.
Both nations traded claims of aerial victories during the hostilities. Pakistan asserted it had downed five Indian planes in air-to-air combat. India’s highest-ranking general, speaking in late May, acknowledged initial losses in the air on the first day of fighting but said India adapted its tactics and gained the upper hand before the ceasefire.
India also claimed it had downed “a few planes” belonging to Pakistan, a contention Islamabad flatly denied, insisting it suffered no such losses. Trump announced the ceasefire on social media on May 10, touting it as a triumph of his administration’s diplomatic efforts after talks with both sides.
He has since repeatedly claimed credit for easing the tensions. India, however, has pushed back against this narrative, insisting that the resolution stemmed from direct dealings between New Delhi and Islamabad.
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