In a characteristic blend of bold rhetoric and diplomatic assertion, President Donald Trump has once again claimed that his personal intervention was the sole factor preventing a nuclear catastrophe between India and Pakistan last year. Speaking at a recent event in Florida, Trump revisited the high-stakes days of May 2025, following India's Operation Sindoor, asserting that both nations were "ready to go nuclear" until he stepped in.
The Spark: Operation Sindoor
The tensions began in April 2025, following a devastating terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 tourists. In a decisive response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, utilizing precision drone and missile strikes to dismantle terror infrastructure deep within Pakistani territory. The operation marked a significant shift in India’s strategic posture, including the temporary suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.
What followed was a frantic four-day escalation. Pakistan retaliated with its own strikes, codenamed Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos, leading to the largest aerial engagement between the two powers in decades. It was during this "long night" of global anxiety that Trump claims he brokered the "Full and Immediate Ceasefire" announced on May 10.
"Ten Million Lives Saved"
"We stopped India and Pakistan from fighting, two nuclear nations," Trump told the crowd. He further claimed that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif personally thanked him, stating that Trump "saved at least 10 million people."
While Trump has repeated this claim over 80 times since the ceasefire, the narrative remains a point of contention. New Delhi has consistently maintained a stance of strategic autonomy, asserting that the ceasefire was reached through direct hotline communication between the respective Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs).
A Clash of Narratives
The disagreement highlights a classic diplomatic "he-said, she-said":
- The Trump Version: High-pressure "long night" negotiations led by Washington forced two nuclear-armed rivals back from the brink.
- The Indian Version: A calibrated military response reached its objective, and de-escalation was handled through established bilateral military channels without third-party mediation.
Regardless of who holds the "receipts" for the peace deal, the shadows of Operation Sindoor continue to loom over South Asian geopolitics as 2026 begins, with the international community keeping a watchful eye on the fragile stability of the region.
