WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has once again stirred controversy by referencing the downing of planes during the Indo-Pak war, a remark seen as reviving old wounds for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Speaking to the media, President Trump claimed that 11 planes were shot down in the war between Pakistan and India. He further stated that by helping prevent a nuclear conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, he saved 30 million lives. He added that the Pakistani Prime Minister had acknowledged his role, saying, “I saved 30 million people by stopping the war.”
In addition to his remarks on South Asia, President Trump reiterated his previous claims about his popularity in Israel, saying it stands at “up to 99 percent” and again questioning how a Jewish person could vote for a Democrat.
This is not the first time President Trump has spoken about a ceasefire between Pakistan and India. His repeated references to the issue have consistently drawn the ire of the Modi government, which views such comments as interference in bilateral matters. Meanwhile, the Indian opposition Congress party has seized on Trump’s remarks as an opportunity to mock Prime Minister Modi.
