US President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed that he personally put pressure on Indian PM Narendra Modi to reach a ceasefire with Pakistan during the conflict in May.
Trump claimed he personally reached out to the two countries and used trade and tariff threats to force PM Narendra Modi to reach a deal with Pakistan.
Speaking to reporters, Trump was quoted as saying by the media: “I am talking to a very terrific man, Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. I said what’s going on with you and Pakistan?”
Trump claimed he told Modi he would hold back the trade deal if the hostilities between the two nations continued.
“I said, I don’t want to make a trade deal with you. You guys are going to end up in a nuclear war,” Trump said.
“We are not going to do any deals with you, or we’re going to put tariffs on you that are so high, your head’s going to spin,” he said.
Trump has repeatedly claimed to have stopped the military flare-up between the two neighbours.
India has continuously dismissed Trump’s claims and said the understanding on cessation with Pakistan was reached after direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two militaries.
The relationship between India and Pakistan reached a new low after Donald Trump imposed an additional 25 percent tariff on all Indian exports over the latter’s purchase of Russian oil, on top of a 25 percent tariff due to a trade imbalance.
This has led India to face a steep 50 percent duty in total on major industries like textiles, gems and jewellery, auto parts, and seafood.
India had condemned the move and called it “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable”.
The tariffs are scheduled to be applicable on all exports starting 27 August.
