US President Donald Trump, during his State of the Union address on Tuesday night (local time), once again asserted that he played a decisive role in preventing a major conflict between India and Pakistan following last year’s Pahalgam terror attack.
In his speech, Trump claimed that he had ended eight wars within his first ten months in office, including tensions between India and Pakistan. He further stated that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had told him that nearly 35 million people could have died if the United States had not intervened.
“In my first 10 months, I ended eight wars… Cambodia and Thailand… Pakistan and India would have had a nuclear war. Thirty-five million people, the Prime Minister of Pakistan said, would have died if it were not for my involvement,” Trump said.
India Rejects US Mediation Claim
India has consistently denied any third-party involvement in the decision to cease hostilities with Pakistan. According to official sources, the request to halt military operations came from Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations, not through US mediation.
Following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025. The operation targeted terror infrastructure across the Line of Control and deeper inside Pakistani territory.
Escalation After Operation Sindoor
In response to Operation Sindoor, Pakistan reportedly carried out drone and UCAV strikes aimed at key Indian airbases and logistics facilities. Indian defence systems, however, successfully intercepted and neutralised these attacks through a multi-layered air defence network.
The military campaign involved coordinated action by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. The Indian Air Force played a central role, conducting precision airstrikes on targets including the Nur Khan Air Base and Rahimyar Khan Air Base.
Trump on Russia-Ukraine and Iran
During the same address, Trump said his administration was working to end the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, adding that the conflict “would have never happened” under his leadership.
On Iran, Trump emphasised that while he preferred a diplomatic solution, he would not allow Tehran to develop nuclear weapons.
“They have already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas… My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy. But I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror to have a nuclear weapon,” he stated.
