On July 18, 2025, US President Donald Trump revealed that up to five jets had been shot down during the recent hostilities between India and Pakistan, which escalated following an attack in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in April.
He made these comments at a dinner with Republican lawmakers at the White House, although he did not specify which side was responsible for the loss of the aircraft. Trump emphasised his administration’s involvement in brokering a ceasefire in May 2025, stating that it helped prevent further escalation between the two nuclear-armed nations. “In fact, planes were being shot out of the air. Five, five, four or five, but I think five jets were shot down actually,” Trump remarked. This statement reflects Pakistan’s assertion that it had downed five Indian jets during the conflict, while India acknowledged shooting down Pakistani aircraft but denied suffering any losses of its own.
#WATCH | Washington, D.C.: US President Donald Trump says, "We stopped a lot of wars. And these were serious, India and Pakistan, that was going on. Planes were being shot out of there. I think five jets were shot down, actually. These are two serious nuclear countries, and they… pic.twitter.com/MCFhW406cT
— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2025Trump highlighted the conflict’s intensity at the White House dinner, emphasising his role in de-escalation. He has repeatedly credited himself for the ceasefire announced on May 10, 2025, via social media after U.S. talks with both sides. “We got India-Pakistan conflict solved through trade,” he claimed earlier. 6 India disputes this, insisting that direct dialogue with Pakistan resolved the issue without external intervention. India’s position: “New Delhi and Islamabad must resolve their problems directly and with no outside involvement.”
Background of the India-Pakistan Conflict
The escalation started with an April 22, 2025, attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, killing 26 people. India blamed Pakistan, which denied involvement and called for a neutral investigation. India launched airstrikes on May 7, targeting alleged terrorist infrastructure, killing civilians, according to Pakistan. Pakistan retaliated, downing Indian jets and striking bases. The U.S. condemned the attack but did not blame Pakistan directly. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire ended the four-day conflict on May 10.
Trump confirms that 5 Indian fighter jets were shot down by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. pic.twitter.com/4ZqFc8RsWY
— Zhao DaShuai 东北进修🇨🇳 (@zhao_dashuai) July 19, 2025Pakistan claimed five Indian jets downed, while India’s general admitted initial losses but claimed the advantage later. India denied its losses but acknowledged striking Pakistani bases.
Read: India Confirms Pakistan Shot Down Fighter Jets in May 2025 Conflict
Trump has claimed credit for the ceasefire, stating U.S. intervention prevented a larger war. India maintains bilateral dialogue resolved the issue. The U.S. serves as an ally to both, balancing India’s role against China and Pakistan’s in counterterrorism.
