Trump claims five jets shot down during India-Pakistan conflict

US President Donald Trump on Friday (18 July) claimed that "five jets were shot down" amid the recent India-Pakistan military flare-up following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Speaking at a dinner with Republican lawmakers at the White House, Trump did not clarify whether the downed aircraft belonged to India or Pakistan, or whether the figure referred to combined losses on both sides.

Trump made the statement while emphasising his administration’s role in defusing what he characterised as a near-war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

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Five jets shot down

“In fact, planes were being shot out of the air. Four or five, but I think five jets were shot down actually,” he said, referencing the brief but intense military confrontation between India and Pakistan.

"We said, you guys want to make a trade deal. We're not making a trade deal if you're going to be throwing around weapons, and maybe nuclear weapons, both very powerful nuclear states," Trump said.

Though lacking specific details, Trump’s remarks revived attention on Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory operation launched in early May after the 22 April terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, including tourists.

The attack triggered a four-day escalation involving air and missile strikes.

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Trump repeats ceasefire claim

At the same event, Trump reiterated that his administration had prevented a major war between the two countries, claiming tensions were defused "through trade".

"We have stopped a lot of wars. And these were serious wars. India and Pakistan were going at it, and they were back and forth, and it was getting bigger and bigger, and we got it solved through trade," he said.

Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for the ceasefire between India and Pakistan that he announced on social media on May 10, reiterating that the truce was the result of US diplomatic intervention.

However, India has consistently refuted this assertion, maintaining that the decision to halt hostilities was reached independently through a phone call between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both nations on 10 May.

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Conflicting claims on jets

Pakistan has consistently claimed its air force downed several Indian aircraft during the engagement, including three Rafale fighter jets, and said it had captured Indian pilots.

In the days following the ceasefire, Indian Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan confirmed that the Indian Air Force (IAF) had lost aircraft but dismissed Pakistan’s claim that Indian six jets were destroyed.

"What is important is that, not the jet being down, but why they were being down... Why they were down, what mistakes were made — that is important. Numbers are not important," the CDS said.

He also emphasised India’s rapid tactical adjustments following early losses, highlighting how subsequent waves of long-range precision strikes were successfully carried out deep within Pakistani territory.

India has firmly denied that any Rafale jets were lost or that any Indian pilots were captured or detained during the conflict.