US President Donald Trump has stirred fresh controversy with his claim that “five jets were shot down” during the military standoff between India and Pakistan in May, following the Pahalgam terror attack. His remarks, made at a closed-door dinner with Republican lawmakers, did not clarify which side suffered the losses but have reignited interest in Operation Sindoor, India’s decisive military retaliation after the April 22 terror strike in Jammu & Kashmir that killed 26 people.

Trump credited US diplomacy for halting the conflict, claiming Washington used trade leverage to mediate peace. “These are two serious nuclear countries... and we got it solved through trade,” he said, a version India strongly denies, insisting the crisis was managed bilaterally.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 with synchronized precision strikes deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), targeting terror hubs and military assets. Over 72 hours, India’s military demonstrated unprecedented coordination and strategic finesse, reportedly hitting airbases up to 300 km inside Pakistani territory with metre-level precision.

Amid Pakistan’s claims of downing Indian Rafale jets and capturing pilots, India has maintained that all its pilots returned safely and no Rafales were lost. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan admitted to aircraft losses but dismissed exaggerated figures, stressing the importance of mission objectives over casualty counts.

Dassault CEO Eric Trappier also rejected Pakistan’s claims, calling the story of downed Rafales “factually incorrect.” India has reaffirmed that it received no foreign mediation, with Air Marshal A.K. Bharti confirming on May 11 that all pilots were accounted for.

While Trump’s comments have brought the issue back into headlines, both India and Pakistan appear keen to move past the episode, even as geopolitical tensions remain high.

US President Donald Trump has stirred fresh controversy with his claim that “five jets were shot down” during the military standoff between India and Pakistan in May, following the Pahalgam terror attack. His remarks, made at a closed-door dinner with Republican lawmakers, did not clarify which side suffered the losses but have reignited interest in Operation Sindoor, India’s decisive military retaliation after the April 22 terror strike in Jammu & Kashmir that killed 26 people.

Trump credited US diplomacy for halting the conflict, claiming Washington used trade leverage to mediate peace. “These are two serious nuclear countries... and we got it solved through trade,” he said, a version India strongly denies, insisting the crisis was managed bilaterally.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 with synchronized precision strikes deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), targeting terror hubs and military assets. Over 72 hours, India’s military demonstrated unprecedented coordination and strategic finesse, reportedly hitting airbases up to 300 km inside Pakistani territory with metre-level precision.

Amid Pakistan’s claims of downing Indian Rafale jets and capturing pilots, India has maintained that all its pilots returned safely and no Rafales were lost. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan admitted to aircraft losses but dismissed exaggerated figures, stressing the importance of mission objectives over casualty counts.

Dassault CEO Eric Trappier also rejected Pakistan’s claims, calling the story of downed Rafales “factually incorrect.” India has reaffirmed that it received no foreign mediation, with Air Marshal A.K. Bharti confirming on May 11 that all pilots were accounted for.

While Trump’s comments have brought the issue back into headlines, both India and Pakistan appear keen to move past the episode, even as geopolitical tensions remain high.