Congress Questions Modi After Trump’s "Five Jets Down" Remark in India-Pakistan Conflict
A fresh political storm is brewing after former U.S. President Donald Trump recently claimed that five fighter jets were shot down during the India-Pakistan standoff in May, following Operation Sindoor. The twist? Trump didn’t clarify whose jets were lost—India’s or Pakistan’s—leaving everyone guessing and sparking strong reactions from opposition leaders back home.
Trump made these comments while speaking at a private dinner with Republican Senators at the White House on Friday. As he rattled off a list of global crises he claims to have de-escalated during his presidency, he brought up the India-Pakistan conflict and once again suggested he played peacemaker. According to Trump, he told the leaders of both nations that “there would be no trade deals if they kept launching weapons,” possibly even nuclear ones.
This isn’t the first time Trump has taken credit for “stopping” a war between India and Pakistan. In fact, Congress says this is the 24th time he’s made such a claim. But what caught everyone’s attention this time was his mention of “five jets being shot down.” That’s new—and unexplained.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi jumped on the issue immediately. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly: “Modiji, what is the truth of the five jets? The country has a right to know.” With Parliament’s Monsoon Session starting Monday, the Opposition is expected to raise the matter inside the House.
Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh also weighed in, saying the Prime Minister must make a clear and official statement about what really happened during the conflict. “We cannot rely on vague foreign claims,” Ramesh said, emphasizing that the people of India deserve clarity, especially when it comes to national security matters.
Interestingly, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs has not responded to Trump’s latest statement. However, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri did say last month that Prime Minister Modi had “clearly conveyed” to Trump that the conflict was resolved bilaterally through diplomatic channels, without foreign interference.
On the other side, Pakistan’s military has maintained that it successfully shot down multiple Indian jets during the brief flare-up on May 7. India, however, hasn’t officially confirmed any such losses. That mismatch of narratives makes Trump’s comment even more confusing—and politically sensitive.
With tensions between India and Pakistan always on a hair-trigger, even a single statement from a high-profile international figure can stir controversy. And when that figure is Donald Trump, known for his off-the-cuff remarks, it becomes even more complicated.
As the political heat rises and Parliament prepares to open, all eyes will be on Prime Minister Modi to see whether he chooses to address Trump’s claims head-on—or stay silent, as his government has so far.
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