Washington DC [US], May 14 (HBTV): In an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity aboard Air Force One, US President Donald Trump said he convinced India and Pakistan to opt for peace and pursue trade deals, emphasizing that trade is 'much better' than nuclear weapons.

‘I think we convinced them (India and Pakistan) to let's have peace and let's go and make trade deals. If we can make trade deals, we like that much better than nuclear weapons and that was a good thing,’ Trump stated in response to Hannity’s question about recent foreign policy achievements.

Trump also remarked, ‘I don't think there has been a period like this, with a potential nuclear war and two countries — they have very good leaders, people I know very well. It was a very important process we got involved with India and Pakistan.’

However, on Tuesday evening, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified that no trade discussions took place between India and the United States during the recent military developments.

‘From the time Operation Sindoor commenced on May 7 till the understanding on cessation of firing and military action on 10th May, there were conversations between Indian and US leaders on the evolving military situation. The issue of trade did not come up in any of these discussions,’ Jaiswal said in response to a media query.

On Monday, President Trump had also stated that his administration played a crucial role in brokering an immediate cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan amid escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

‘We stopped a nuclear conflict. I think it could have been a bad nuclear war. Millions of people could have been killed. I also want to thank VP JD Vance and Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, for their work. On Saturday, my administration helped broker an immediate cessation of hostilities — I think a permanent one — between India and Pakistan, the countries having a lot of nuclear weapons,’ he told reporters.

‘I’m very proud to let you know that the leadership of India and Pakistan was unwavering and powerful... And we helped a lot, and we also helped with trade. I said, “Come on, we're going to do a lot of trade with you guys. Let's stop it, let's stop it. If you stop it, we're doing trade. If you don't stop it, we're not going to do any trade”,’ Trump added.

India had carried out precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives. The Indian government had vowed that the perpetrators would face severe punishment, and over 100 terrorists were reported killed in Operation Sindoor.

Indian Armed Forces retaliated against Pakistan's subsequent military response and targeted several Pakistani airbases.

The two countries have now reached an understanding to cease firing and military action after Pakistan’s DGMO reached out to his Indian counterpart. However, both sides have maintained that the understanding was reached bilaterally. (ANI)