Trump claims "5 jets shot down" in India-Pakistan conflict; New Delhi disputes mediation role

US President Donald Trump on Friday made a fresh, unverified claim, stating that "five jets were shot down" during the recent conflict between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. Speaking at a private dinner with Republican lawmakers at the White House, Trump did not specify which country's aircraft were downed, but his remarks revived focus on 'Operation Sindoor', India's retaliatory military operation launched in early May.

The brief but intense military exchange between the nuclear-armed neighbours followed the deadly April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which killed 26 people. While Pakistan has consistently claimed its air force downed Indian jets, including three French-built Rafale fighters, and captured Indian pilots, it has provided no evidence. India has largely refrained from detailing its losses, though Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan acknowledged some aircraft losses, dismissing Pakistan's narrative of six jets destroyed and emphasizing India's ability to conduct precision strikes deep inside Pakistani territory. Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier also called Pakistan's claims about Rafale losses "factually incorrect" in June.

Trump also reiterated his controversial assertion that the May 10 ceasefire was a result of US diplomatic intervention, linking it to potential trade deals. However, India has consistently pushed back on this narrative, maintaining its official position that New Delhi and Islamabad resolved the crisis bilaterally and that no foreign mediator played a decisive role, nor did the US threaten to suspend trade talks to secure peace. Operation Sindoor, involving coordinated strikes by the Air Force, Army, and Navy, saw India conduct a series of attacks on what it termed "terrorist infrastructure and military assets" across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.