‘Tariffs So High Your Head Will Spin’: Trump Claims He Forced India-Pakistan Truce With Threat
US President Donald Trump has claimed he personally pressured Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi into a ceasefire with Pakistan by threatening to impose tariffs “so high, your head’s going to spin.” Recounting a supposed conversation, Trump positioned himself as the sole mediator who averted a potential nuclear conflict between the two South Asian rivals.
Speaking to reporters, Trump gave a dramatic account of his intervention. “I am talking to a very terrific man, Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. I said what’s going on with you and Pakistan? The hatred was tremendous,” Trump stated. He claimed he warned Modi that Washington would not pursue a trade deal if hostilities escalated. “I said, I don’t want to make a trade deal with you. You guys are going to end up in a nuclear war,” Trump recounted telling the Indian leader. He then claimed his threat of crippling tariffs prompted immediate action, asserting, “Within about five hours, it was done.”
This is not the first time Trump has made such a claim. Since announcing a “full and immediate” ceasefire on May 10 following the Pahalgam terror attack, he has repeatedly taken credit for de-escalating the military flare-up. However, India has consistently and firmly denied any foreign intervention, maintaining that the understanding was reached through direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries.
Trump’s renewed claims come at a particularly tense moment in US-India relations, as a steep 50% tariff on a wide range of Indian goods officially took effect today. The punitive measure is intended to penalize India for its continued purchase of Russian crude oil.
Facing this economic pressure, Prime Minister Modi has adopted a defiant stance. Addressing a public gathering in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, he declared that India would not bow to foreign pressure and would bear any burden to protect its national interests. “For Modi, interests of farmers, cattle rearers and small-scale industries are paramount,” he said, urging a greater reliance on ‘Made-in-India’ products.
Despite the sharp rhetoric and escalating trade war, diplomatic channels remain open. On Monday, senior officials from both nations held a virtual 2+2 Intersessional Dialogue, discussing cooperation on defence, trade, and regional security, signaling an attempt to manage the relationship even amidst significant friction.
