'I got him on phone and said….': Trump claims 200% tariff threat ended India-Pakistan conflict

Trump’s tariff threat stopped war

United States President Donald Trump has claimed that his threat to impose a 200% tariff on exports from one of the two South Asian nations helped avert an India-Pakistan war. Speaking at an event, he said his intervention through trade pressure “stopped a lot of these wars”.

“As an example, India and Pakistan were going at it really hard. Seven planes were shut down... Bad things were happening and I was talking to both of them about trade... I said we are not going to do a trade deal unless they stop the war,” Trump said, according to ANI.

He added, “I got him on the phone and I said, listen, we’re going to put a 200% tariff on your country for any product you sell into the United States unless you stop this war... I spoke to the leaders of both nations. I like them both. But I said that’s the way it is and I get a call the next day, we have decided to de-escalate... We have decided that we will not fight... I love stopping wars.”

#WATCH | US President Donald Trump says, "...We stopped a lot of these wars using trade. As an example, India and Pakistan were going at it really hard. Seven planes were shot down...Bad things were happening and I was talking to both of them about trade...I said we are not going… pic.twitter.com/TX4G3mbdmW

— ANI (@ANI) October 16, 2025

Trump praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “great man” and said they share a “great relationship.” The two leaders recently discussed trade talks, with Modi noting “good progress” in negotiations.

However, relations have been strained by Trump’s criticism of India’s Russian oil imports and a 50% tariff on Indian goods. The Trump administration has also imposed a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications, hitting Indian tech workers hard.

(Inputs from agencies)