Trade is a big reason they stopped fighting, claims Donald Trump on India-Pakistan tensions

United States‘ President Donald Trump has claimed that the reason behind the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan was due to trade. President Donald Trump said on Monday the United States is ready to help India and Pakistan in the wake of a ceasefire agreement that he says his administration helped broker. However, Indian officials stressed that the arrangement was negotiated strictly between New Delhi and Islamabad, in keeping with India’s long-standing position that all issues with Pakistan must be resolved bilaterally. “There is no decision to hold talks on any other issue at any other place,” a senior official said, clearly rejecting any suggestion of international facilitation or talks in a third country, as suggested by US’ Marco Rubio.

Trade is a big reason why they stopped fighting, Trump said at an event at the White House.

Additionally, Trump claimed that US intervention prevented a “bad nuclear war” between India and Pakistan, after the South Asian rivals agreed a ceasefire following a series of clashes.

“We stopped a nuclear conflict. I think it could have been a bad nuclear war, millions of people could have been killed. So I’m very proud of that,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

Tensions between India and Pakistan soared after the Indian Armed Forces hit terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) last week in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.On Saturday, the two neighbours reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea, with effect from 5 pm that day.How India and Pakistan reached agreement?
Director General of Military Operations Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai on Sunday explained that his Pakistani counterpart had approached him on May 10 to cease the hostilities, adding that it was only hours after which the agreement was violated by the neighbouring nation.

“…My communication with the Pak DGMO was conducted at 15:35 hrs yesterday and resulted in cessation of cross-border firing and air intrusions by either side with effect from 17:00 hrs, 10th of May, after he proposed that we cease hostilities. We also decided to further speak on the 12th of May at 12:00 hrs to discuss the modalities that would enable the longevity of this understanding,” said DGMO Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai.

The top defence official added that ‘expectedly it took only a couple of hours for Pakistan Army to violate these arrangements by cross border and across Line of Control firing followed by drone intrusions through last night and in the early hours of today.’

“These violations were responded to robustly…We have earlier today sent another hotline message to my counterpart highlighting these violations of the understanding between the DGMOs on 10th of May and our firm and clear intent to respond to these fiercely if repeated tonight, subsequently or later…The Chief of Army Staff has granted full authority to our army commander for counteraction in case of any violation by Pakistan…” added Lt Gen Ghai.