Trump Says ‘11 Expensive Jets Shot Down’ During India-Pakistan Conflict, Praises PM Modi

Last Updated:February 20, 2026, 08:07 IST

Donald Trump praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “great man” while again claiming he helped stop the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict through trade pressure and tariff threats.

US President Donald Trump on Friday asserted that “11 expensive jets were shot down" during the 2025 India-Pakistan tensions, as he also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “a great man".

The US President once again asserted that he personally intervened to stop a potential war, and that he had spoken directly with leaders of both countries at a time when hostilities were escalating, a claim that New Delhi has previously rejected.

Referring to the situation, Trump said, “That war was raging. Planes were being shot down. And I got on the phone with both of them, and I knew them a little bit. I knew Prime Minister Modi very well, actually."

Trump claimed that his intervention helped prevent a large-scale conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours and said economic pressure played a key role in persuading both sides to step back.

“I called them, and I said, listen, I’m not doing trade deals with you two guys if you don’t settle this up," he said.

He further added that he warned both countries of serious economic consequences, stating, “If you fight, I’m going to put 200 per cent tariffs on each of your countries."

According to Trump, the threat of financial losses led to rapid de-escalation.

“They both wanted to fight. But when it came to money, there’s nothing like money. When it came to losing a lot of money, they said, I guess we don’t want to fight," he said, claiming that “we solved that deal in two, three days."

The US President also repeated his assertion that millions of lives were saved due to the intervention.

Quoting remarks he said were made by Pakistan’s leadership, Trump stated that he was told he had “saved 25 million lives" by stopping the conflict.

He further claimed that the confrontation had intensified significantly, saying, “Eleven jets were shot down, very expensive jets. They were all in."

Trump emphasised the risks posed by escalation between India and Pakistan, describing them as “two very powerful nations" and “two nuclear nations," adding, “I don’t wanna say what was gonna happen, but, you know, bad things happen."

“Pakistan and India, thank you very much. I spoke to Prime Minister Modi.

He’s excited. He’s watching us right now," the US President added.

The remarks refer to heightened tensions following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed.

In response, India carried out precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan under ‘Operation Sindoor’, leading to a sharp escalation that drew global attention.

While Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has publicly praised Trump’s role, calling his intervention timely and effective, India has consistently rejected claims of third-party mediation.

New Delhi has maintained that the cessation of hostilities was achieved bilaterally through talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries.

India has also reiterated its long-standing position that all issues with Pakistan, including matters related to Jammu and Kashmir, are to be addressed directly between the two nations without external involvement.

News world Trump Says ‘11 Expensive Jets Shot Down’ During India-Pakistan Conflict, Praises PM Modi

Read More