Washington, Oct 22, 2025 — US President Donald Trump revealed that he advised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to avoid war with Pakistan and instead focus on boosting trade and diplomacy to maintain peace in South Asia.
Speaking at a Diwali event in the White House, Trump said he had a “great” phone call with Modi earlier in the day, where they discussed regional stability, trade, and energy cooperation.
“We talked about trade… He’s very interested in that,” Trump said. “But I also told him — no wars with Pakistan.”
The US President claimed his trade-first approach has helped stop “at least eight wars” globally — including a potential conflict between India and Pakistan.
“When tensions rose between Pakistan and India, seven planes were downed,” Trump recalled. “I told both sides if they went to war, the US would stop trading with them. Within 24 hours, both agreed to step back.”
Background: Deadly May Clashes and US Mediation
Trump’s remarks referred to the May confrontation between India and Pakistan — the worst in decades — following a terror attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) that killed 26 people.
India blamed Pakistan, which denied any involvement. The clash escalated for three days until Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, downing six Indian jets, including three Rafales.
The standoff ended on May 10 after US mediation brought about a ceasefire.
Trump Backs Modi but Warns on Russian Oil
Trump praised Modi for his diplomatic stance but warned him over India’s oil imports from Russia.
“He’s not going to buy much oil from Russia. He wants peace as much as I do,” Trump said.
He cautioned that if India continues buying Russian crude, it will face “massive tariffs”, saying Washington cannot support trade that funds Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
“If India denies it, they’ll just keep paying the tariffs,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
India Denies Recent Call with Trump
However, India’s foreign ministry dismissed reports of a recent Trump-Modi call, saying it had “no such record.” Trade officials said bilateral talks remain positive but confidential due to ongoing negotiations.
Data analytics firm Kpler reported that India’s Russian oil imports could actually rise by 20% this month to 1.9 million barrels per day, despite US pressure.