US President Donald Trump has sparked a fresh controversy by claiming that “five jets were shot down” during the recent India-Pakistan military confrontation following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians.

Speaking at a private dinner with Republican lawmakers at the White House, Trump referenced the intense four-day escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors in early May. “Planes were being shot out of the air. Five, five, four or five, but I think five jets were shot down,” he said, though he did not specify which side suffered the losses or provide evidence.

Trump also claimed the United States played a key role in defusing tensions, using trade deals as leverage. “We told them: if you want a trade deal, stop throwing around weapons,” he said, referring to both countries’ nuclear capabilities. He added that US diplomacy and economic pressure helped halt the conflict.

However, Indian officials have dismissed Trump’s remarks, stating that no foreign power mediated the situation and that India managed the crisis independently. They reiterated that no Indian aircraft were lost during the operation.

India launched “Operation Sindoor” on May 7, in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack. The coordinated military strikes targeted terror bases across the Line of Control and deeper into Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

On May 11, Air Marshal A.K. Bharti confirmed that all Indian pilots involved in the mission had returned safely, contradicting Trump’s claims.

The remarks have drawn skepticism in New Delhi, which emphasized that the conflict was resolved through direct communication with Islamabad, not US intervention.