NEW DELHI: The Congress on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led government following fresh remarks by US President Donald Trump, who claimed — for the 24th time — that he mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan using trade pressure.
The party questioned PM Modi's continued silence, accusing him of compromising India’s national honour. “Trump said – 5 jets were shot down in the war between India and Pakistan. Along with this, for the 24th time, he claimed that he stopped the India-Pakistan war by threatening trade action. Trump keeps repeating this, and Narendra Modi remains silent. Why did Narendra Modi compromise the nation’s honour for the sake of trade?” the Congress posted on X.
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, speaking to ANI, sharpened the criticism, calling out PM Modi’s “friendship and huglomacy” with Trump.
He referred to Trump’s repeated statements that the US prevented a full-blown war between India and Pakistan by using trade threats. “Just two days before the Monsoon Session of Parliament begins, the Trump missile gets fired for the 24th time with the same two messages: 1.
The US stopped the war between India and Pakistan, two countries that have nuclear weapons. 2. No trade deal if the war continued,” Ramesh added.
Calling the new "five jets downed" claim a sensational addition, Ramesh demanded that only the PM, not any “substitute batsman,” should address Parliament. “The Congress and the entire Opposition will demand a special discussion, and the PM must answer,” he said.
At a recent private dinner with Republican lawmakers, Trump repeated his claim, stating, “We stopped a lot of wars. And these were serious, India and Pakistan, that was going on. Planes were being shot out of the air… five, five, four or five, but I think five jets were shot down, actually.”
Trump asserted that his administration used trade negotiations as leverage to de-escalate. “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,” he said.
He also claimed earlier in the week that India and Pakistan were close to nuclear conflict after the Pahalgam terror attack and that the US prevented it by pressuring both sides to stand down in return for trade talks.
However, official accounts suggest that tensions were defused through military channels. A ceasefire was initiated after Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations reached out to his Indian counterpart to halt hostilities across land, air, and sea.
The conflict had escalated after a deadly terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam in Anantnag district on April 22, which killed 26 people. India responded with Operation Sindoor on May 7, striking nine terror hubs in Pakistan and PoK. Pakistan retaliated with drones and missiles, but Indian air defences successfully neutralised incoming threats. The IAF later carried out precision strikes on 11 Pakistani airbases.
As Trump’s remarks continue to stir political reactions, Congress has demanded a formal statement from PM Modi in Parliament and a multi-day discussion on the conflict, US involvement, China’s role, and other emerging security challenges.
(With inputs from agencies)
The party questioned PM Modi's continued silence, accusing him of compromising India’s national honour. “Trump said – 5 jets were shot down in the war between India and Pakistan. Along with this, for the 24th time, he claimed that he stopped the India-Pakistan war by threatening trade action. Trump keeps repeating this, and Narendra Modi remains silent. Why did Narendra Modi compromise the nation’s honour for the sake of trade?” the Congress posted on X.
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, speaking to ANI, sharpened the criticism, calling out PM Modi’s “friendship and huglomacy” with Trump.
“The Prime Minister, who has had years of friendship and huglomacy with President Trump going back to Howdy Modi in Sept 2019 and Namaste Trump in Feb 2020, has to now himself make a clear and categorical statement in Parliament on what President Trump has been claiming over the past 70 days,” Jairam Ramesh said.👉US President Trump says 5 jets were shot down in the India-Pakistan war.
— Congress (@INCIndia) July 19, 2025
👉For the 24th time, he claims to have stopped the India-Pakistan war through trade.
👉And yet, PM Modi remains silent.
❓ Why is the nation’s honour being bartered for trade? pic.twitter.com/RUSmpoLGpi
#WATCH | Delhi | On the all-party meeting ahead of the Parliament session, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh says, "It is just a formality. Rajnath Singh will come, smile, and greet everyone. We will sit, and everyone will present their opinions for two hours. And then nothing will… pic.twitter.com/x5RtwYvY4n
— ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2025
He referred to Trump’s repeated statements that the US prevented a full-blown war between India and Pakistan by using trade threats. “Just two days before the Monsoon Session of Parliament begins, the Trump missile gets fired for the 24th time with the same two messages: 1.
The US stopped the war between India and Pakistan, two countries that have nuclear weapons. 2. No trade deal if the war continued,” Ramesh added.
Calling the new "five jets downed" claim a sensational addition, Ramesh demanded that only the PM, not any “substitute batsman,” should address Parliament. “The Congress and the entire Opposition will demand a special discussion, and the PM must answer,” he said.
#WATCH | Delhi | On US President Donald Trump's statement that five fighter jets were shot down during India-Pakistan tensions, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh says, "Since May 10 till today, US President Donald Trump has repeated two things for 24 times first, he stopped the war… pic.twitter.com/PnLZJQjfjM
— ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2025
At a recent private dinner with Republican lawmakers, Trump repeated his claim, stating, “We stopped a lot of wars. And these were serious, India and Pakistan, that was going on. Planes were being shot out of the air… five, five, four or five, but I think five jets were shot down, actually.”
Trump asserted that his administration used trade negotiations as leverage to de-escalate. “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,” he said.
He also claimed earlier in the week that India and Pakistan were close to nuclear conflict after the Pahalgam terror attack and that the US prevented it by pressuring both sides to stand down in return for trade talks.
However, official accounts suggest that tensions were defused through military channels. A ceasefire was initiated after Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations reached out to his Indian counterpart to halt hostilities across land, air, and sea.
The conflict had escalated after a deadly terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam in Anantnag district on April 22, which killed 26 people. India responded with Operation Sindoor on May 7, striking nine terror hubs in Pakistan and PoK. Pakistan retaliated with drones and missiles, but Indian air defences successfully neutralised incoming threats. The IAF later carried out precision strikes on 11 Pakistani airbases.
As Trump’s remarks continue to stir political reactions, Congress has demanded a formal statement from PM Modi in Parliament and a multi-day discussion on the conflict, US involvement, China’s role, and other emerging security challenges.
(With inputs from agencies)
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