Trump claims five jets downed in India-Pak conflict, Congress demands PM’s response

Just two days before the Monsoon Session of Parliament is set to begin, US President Donald Trump has once again triggered political ripples in India by repeating his claim of having brokered peace between India and Pakistan during the May hostilities. More strikingly, Trump has now alleged that as many as five fighter jets were downed during the conflict—without specifying whether they belonged to India or Pakistan.

Reacting sharply to these claims, senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh launched a scathing attack on the Modi government, demanding that the Prime Minister himself come forward to clarify the situation. "President Trump has now made this statement for the 24th time in 70 days. And still, the Prime Minister maintains a calculated silence. Is this the 'strong leadership' the BJP boasts about?" Ramesh questioned.

Taking to Twitter, Ramesh said the Prime Minister owed the nation a “clear and categorical” explanation, especially given his “years of public camaraderie and huglomacy” with Trump, referencing the much-publicised ‘Howdy Modi’ and ‘Namaste Trump’ events held in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

“The question is not about what Mr Trump is saying anymore—it’s about why Mr Modi isn’t saying anything,” Ramesh said. “If the US had no role in the ceasefire and trade was never on the table, then why this strategic silence from South Block?”

At a dinner with Republican lawmakers in Washington, Trump reiterated that his administration prevented a major war between India and Pakistan by linking ceasefire to trade. “We got it solved through trade. Five jets were shot down… actually,” Trump stated, claiming credit for defusing what he described as a rapidly escalating nuclear flashpoint.

The Indian defence establishment, however, has refrained from confirming Trump’s claims in any form. While Air Marshal AK Bharti previously said that India had downed “multiple high-tech” Pakistani aircraft, no figures were released. Meanwhile, Pakistan has maintained that only one of its aircraft suffered “minor damage,” while alleging it had shot down six Indian jets—an assertion dismissed by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.

General Chauhan, speaking at a defence conference earlier, said, “What is important is not how many jets were downed, but why they were. Mistakes were rectified quickly, and our counter-response was strong.”

Despite repeated denials from Indian officials, Trump has maintained his version of events. According to Ramesh, this continued mismatch between US claims and Indian silence is no longer tenable in a democracy. “The Parliament must be taken into confidence. The nation deserves to know whether Mr Trump’s version is true, false, or half-true,” he said.

With Trump’s latest comments coming just ahead of the Parliament session, and opposition leaders preparing to corner the government on multiple fronts, the controversy is expected to take centre stage in the upcoming debates. Whether the Prime Minister will finally address the issue remains to be seen.