Trump Boasts Trade Stopped Nuclear War; India Says, ‘Absolutely Not’

Photo: Fox News

India-West News Desk

WASHINGTON, DC – The Indian government has firmly rebutted President Donald Trump’s assertions regarding the role of trade in brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Speaking on May 13, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal categorically denied any linkage between trade negotiations and the cessation of hostilities, clarifying that no discussions about trade took place during the high-level conversations between Indian and American officials.

“The issue of trade didn’t come up in any of these discussions,” Jaiswal stated, referring to conversations between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. Vice President JD Vance, as well as between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Jaiswal also reaffirmed India’s long-standing position: any matters concerning Jammu and Kashmir are strictly bilateral and not subject to third-party mediation or leverage—particularly not through trade incentives. He emphasized that the core issue remains the vacation of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The New York Times reported that Indian officials are feeling “betrayed” with the statements being made by Trump. Instead of quietly working in the background as the US many a time does, he has chosen to “crow” about the ceasefire and has taken credit for himself. The paper noted that the American is in search of Nobel for peace. Indeed, it is well known that he wants to position himself as a peacemaker and having failed so far in Gaza and Ukraine, was quick to grasp on this conflict.

India has also been taken aback with Trump’s statements putting both India and Pakistan at the same level.

Dubious

Despite the clear Indian position, Trump used multiple platforms—including the US-Saudi Investment Forum and a Fox News interview—to take credit for what he labeled an “historic cease-fire” between the two nuclear powers. He claimed to have leveraged trade deals to bring about peace, describing his diplomatic approach in simplistic terms: “Fellas, come on, let’s make a deal, let’s do some trading, let’s not trade nuclear missiles…” This version of events, while theatrically Trumpian, lacks any corroboration from India.

Even in his conversation with Sean Hannity aboard Air Force One, Trump doubled down on his narrative: “I think we convinced them to let’s have peace and let’s go and make trade deals… much better than nuclear weapons.”

Reality Check

India’s rebuttal wasn’t just semantic; it was rooted in policy and precedent. As reiterated by MEA spokesperson Jaiswal, India does not accept third-party mediation in matters involving Pakistan. Furthermore, the communications between Indian and U.S. leaders during the period of military tension—specifically during and after Operation Sindoor—were focused solely on evolving military conditions, not on trade.

Trump’s portrayal of a peace process negotiated over “nice dinners” and “beautiful products” misrepresents both the gravity of the India-Pakistan conflict and the dignity of India’s foreign policy apparatus.