Former US President Donald Trump has once again reignited controversy with his repeated claims of preventing a war between India and Pakistan, stating that his intervention using "phone calls and trade" helped avert a nuclear escalation in South Asia. This is not the first time Trump has made such remarks, but his latest statements, made at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, have drawn fresh criticism—particularly from India’s opposition party, the Indian National Congress.

Sharing a video clip of Trump's speech on social media platform X, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh remarked that this was the "nth time" Trump had made such claims and yet Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains silent, even as India grieves the Ahmedabad aircraft tragedy. The Congress alleged that Modi’s silence signals India’s diminishing stature in global diplomacy, especially under an increasingly transactional US foreign policy approach.

During his address, Trump stated:

“I stopped a war between India and Pakistan, and I stopped it with trade... It was Pakistan's turn to hit, and eventually they’re going to go nuclear. I called each leader... and I talked about trade. I said you’re not trading with the US if you’re going to start throwing nuclear weapons around.”

Trump went on to boast about his personal diplomacy, saying he respected both leaders greatly and used trade leverage to force de-escalation. He even expressed confidence in solving the Kashmir dispute, saying, "I can solve anything." Notably, he reiterated that India and Pakistan had been at odds over Kashmir for 2,000 years, a comment criticized for its historical inaccuracy and oversimplification of a complex, post-colonial territorial dispute.

The Indian government, however, has consistently maintained that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan, not subject to third-party mediation. This position has been reiterated at international forums, including the United Nations. India has also emphasized that recent hostilities with Pakistan—such as the escalation after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack—were handled directly between the militaries of both countries.

Indeed, after India conducted precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7, Pakistan attempted retaliatory strikes on May 8, 9, and 10. The standoff was ultimately diffused following high-level talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries on May 10.

Despite these facts, Trump’s persistent narrative of playing peacemaker has stirred domestic political concerns in India. Jairam Ramesh said the Prime Minister’s inaction and refusal to publicly refute these claims reflects a broader failure in India’s foreign policy. He also noted that Trump's assertion of solving India-Pakistan tensions through trade undermines India's strategic autonomy.

Congress further claimed that India had suffered three major diplomatic setbacks due to the US’s renewed emphasis on Pakistan:

1. US Army General Michael Kurilla recently referred to Pakistan as a "phenomenal partner" in counterterrorism efforts.

2. Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir is reported to be visiting Washington DC to participate in US Army Day celebrations.

3. A Trump administration spokesperson made remarks that seemed to re-hyphenate India and Pakistan in Washington’s strategic calculus.

Ramesh accused the Modi government of being more focused on domestic electoral politics than securing India’s geopolitical interests, urging the Prime Minister to convene an all-party meeting and a special session of Parliament to discuss the implications of recent developments.

He warned that the US’s shifting stance is both a challenge and a wake-up call to re-evaluate India’s current foreign policy strategy. This includes the perception of being diplomatically reactive rather than assertive, particularly when faced with foreign narratives that undermine India's sovereignty or misrepresent its role in regional peacebuilding.

Adding to the opposition’s criticism is the ongoing geopolitical tension in the Middle East, with Iran-Israel conflict escalating dangerously. Congress leaders have tied the broader deterioration in India's strategic posture to what they describe as a pattern of reactive diplomacy, suggesting that India risks being sidelined in global decision-making processes.

In contrast, the Modi government has remained tight-lipped, with no official rebuttal to Trump’s remarks. This silence is being viewed by critics as a tacit acceptance or a reluctance to challenge the narrative of a powerful ally in a volatile international environment.

India’s foreign policy community is now divided on how to respond. While some experts argue that Trump’s statements are largely rhetorical and lack policy substance, others believe they set a dangerous precedent, particularly if such assertions go unchallenged at international forums.

Meanwhile, the Indian public and strategic analysts are questioning the Modi government’s long-term diplomatic strategy. Does silence in the face of repeated claims by a foreign leader undermine India's agency? Is trade now being used by the US as a coercive diplomatic tool against sovereign nations?

As Trump gears up for a potential re-election bid, his repeated references to India-Pakistan diplomacy could become a recurrent theme, especially if he sees strategic value in highlighting past foreign policy 'wins'.

The Congress party insists that the time for diplomatic ambiguity is over. It has called on PM Modi to clarify India’s position publicly, reinforce that Kashmir remains a bilateral matter, and assert India’s non-negotiable sovereignty in all international engagements.

In the backdrop of recent events, including the Pahalgam terror attack, military escalations, and the volatile situation in the Middle East, the need for a cohesive, bipartisan foreign policy response has never been more urgent.

As India navigates an increasingly complex geopolitical environment, the narrative control over its own regional role and its engagement with global powers like the US may well define the next chapter of Indian diplomacy.

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