Trump Raises Fighter Jet Loss Estimate to 10 in Pak‑India Standoff

US President Donald Trump has doubled his initial estimate of fighter jets shot down during the 2025 confrontation between India and Pakistan, claiming the number is now as high as ten. Speaking on Fox Business, Trump highlighted the efficacy of his economic leverage, stating, “I settled eight wars. Of the eight wars, at least six were settled because of tariffs.”

Explaining his approach, he continued: “In other words, I said if you don’t settle this war, I’m going to charge you tariffs, because I don’t want to see people getting killed. And they said, ‘Well, what does this have to do…’ I said, ‘You’re going to be charged.’ Like India and Pakistan—it would have been a nuclear war in my opinion. They were really going at it. Ten planes were shot down.”

Trump recalled that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif credited his intervention with preventing massive casualties. According to Trump, the Prime Minister noted that the President saved at least 10 million lives by persuading the nations to cease hostilities, a move Trump insists would not have occurred without the threat of tariffs.

While Trump has taken credit for ending the conflict, India has consistently denied any third-party mediation. Despite this, the Pakistani government officially nominated the American commander-in-chief for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.

The crisis was triggered last May by a terrorist attack on tourists in the Pahalgam area of IIOJK, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. New Delhi attributed the attack to Pakistan-supported elements, sparking the deadliest military confrontation between the rivals in decades. Islamabad denied involvement and offered to participate in an impartial investigation. During the ensuing 87-hour conflict—which included the launch of India’s Operation Sindoor—Pakistan claimed to have downed numerous Indian fighter jets, including French-made Rafales. The hostilities finally ended on May 10, following a ceasefire agreement mediated by the United States.