Trump Claims 11 Indian Jets Downed in 2025 Pak-India Conflict
News Desk
Washington: US President Donald Trump on Thursday claimed that 11 Indian fighter jets were shot down during the 2025 Pakistan-India military confrontation, as he publicly praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir at the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington.
Speaking at the opening session held at the United States Institute of Peace, Trump described Field Marshal Munir as a “tough, good fighter” and said of Shehbaz Sharif, “I like this man of Pakistan,” recalling his engagement with both leaders during last year’s crisis.
Revisiting the 2025 confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, Trump said the conflict escalated rapidly before Washington intervened diplomatically. He revised his earlier estimate of aerial losses, stating that “11 very expensive” Indian jets were shot down during the hostilities.
The crisis erupted after a deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 men. India accused Pakistan of involvement — a charge Islamabad denied, offering instead to participate in a neutral investigation.
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According to Pakistani officials, seven Indian aircraft, including three Rafale jets, and dozens of drones were downed during the clashes. Fighting continued for at least 87 hours before a ceasefire was announced on May 10, brokered by the United States.
Trump reiterated that his administration played a decisive role in halting the confrontation, claiming he warned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of heavy tariffs, including a proposed 200 percent levy, if the fighting persisted.
He suggested the intervention helped prevent wider devastation, recalling that Shehbaz Sharif had credited him with averting further escalation.
The remarks came during a high-level Board of Peace summit attended by representatives from more than 45 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Azerbaijan. The forum is focused on ending the war in Gaza and coordinating post-conflict reconstruction.
The meeting follows a US-backed ceasefire plan approved by the United Nations Security Council, granting the board a two-year mandate to oversee Gaza’s demilitarisation and rebuilding. Trump announced that participating nations had pledged $5 billion toward reconstruction, a fraction of the estimated $70 billion required.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is on a three-day visit to Washington at Trump’s invitation, is expected to address the forum and hold meetings with US and international officials as diplomatic efforts continue over Gaza’s post-war future.
