US President Donald Trump claimed that India and Pakistan ceased hostilities due to his government's efforts. He credited the US for helping settle the issue between the two nuclear-armed nations. During a Gulf tour, he addressed American troops at a US military base in Qatar and said the situation had gotten dangerous before the US stepped in diplomatically.

“I don’t wanna say I did, but I sure as hell helped settle the problem between Pakistan and India last week,” Trump said to the crowd. He stated that both countries were happy with the outcome. He continued, “Let’s do trade instead of war. And we talked to them about trade. Let’s do trade instead of war. And Pakistan was very happy with that, and India was very happy with that, and I think they are on the way.”

India and Pakistan had recently halted their most serious military confrontation in nearly 30 years. They agreed to a ceasefire on Saturday after behind-the-scenes diplomacy. The United States quietly played a key role in urging both nations to de-escalate. Trump explained that this diplomacy involved offering more trade in exchange for peace—and threatening to withhold it otherwise.

“They have been fighting for about a thousand years… Let me settle it up,” Trump added, using his typical extemporaneous style. His comment drew laughter, but also criticism for oversimplifying a deeply complex conflict.

Despite Trump’s remarks, Indian officials dismissed several of his claims. India’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said trade incentives did not feature in any part of the discussions.

“There were conversations between Indian and US leaders on the evolving military situation,” Jaiswal said. “The issue of trade did not come up in any of these discussions.”

Trump’s continued claims that he helped mediate the India-Pakistan conflict have started to strain Washington’s ties with New Delhi. India has spent years building strategic trust with the US.

On Thursday, Trump also said he told Apple CEO Tim Cook not to expand manufacturing in India unless it was for the Indian market. After a meeting with US and Qatari business leaders, Trump claimed India had “offered to drop all tariffs” on the US.

He recalled saying to Cook, “You’re my friend, I’ve treated you well, but I hear you’re building all over India. I don’t want that unless it’s for India. It’s one of the highest tariff nations in the world.” Trump made the statement during ongoing trade talks and amid concerns about US companies moving operations abroad.