A catalyst, by its nature, accelerates reactions—forward or backward. But if mishandled, it can be dangerous. That metaphor aptly describes the recent theatre of the absurd in the war-scorched month of June 2025, featuring none other than Donald J. Trump, the former and once-again President of the United States, striving to portray himself as a peacemaker.

Scene one opens on 7 May 2025, just after the Indian Air Force launched Operation Sindoor, striking nine Pakistani terrorist camps. Mr Trump, commenting on the developments, remarked:

“It's a shame. We just heard about it …. They have been fighting for many, many decades. And centuries actually…. I am very close to India and I’m very close to Pakistan…. They’ve had that fight for 1,000 years in Kashmir. Kashmir has been going on for 1,000 years, probably longer than that...”

By 10 May, during the fourth day of Op Sindoor, following extensive damage to 11 Pakistani airbases, Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called his Indian counterpart at 3:35 p.m., explicitly requesting a halt to hostilities by 5 p.m. that evening.

Seizing the moment, Trump leapt into the spotlight, claiming the U.S. had brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. This was swiftly clarified by India’s DGMO and government officials, who stated categorically that the operation had merely been paused, not ceased, and that no foreign mediation was involved.

Yet Trump persisted:

“Well, I stopped the war…. I love Pakistan. I think Modi is a fantastic man. I spoke to him last night. We're going to make a trade deal with Modi of India. But I stopped the war between Pakistan and India…”

Media reports noted that Trump “trumpeted” this claim at least 14 times.

Modi Sets the Record Straight

On 18 June 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Trump for 35 minutes. According to a Ministry of External Affairs press note, Modi made clear that after 22 April, India had communicated its intent to act against terrorism. On the night of 6–7 May, India had targeted terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir with precise, non-escalatory strikes.

He further emphasised that:

• India’s actions were independent and proportionate;

• Any aggression from Pakistan would be met with a stronger response;

• There was no discussion or agreement on a U.S.-India trade deal during the crisis;

• No mediation by the U.S. was sought or accepted.

India, Modi reiterated, does not—and will never—accept third-party mediation in bilateral matters. Trump reportedly listened carefully and expressed support for India’s anti-terror stance. The operation, Modi stressed, was still ongoing.

Trump invited Modi to stop over in Washington on his return from Canada, but the Indian PM declined—likely to avoid an awkward overlap with Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir’s visit and to deny Trump the optics of “bringing together nuclear-armed rivals.”

Trump’s Double Act with Pakistan

Just hours after the Modi-Trump call, the U.S. President once again reiterated that he had stopped a war, while praising both leaders. That same day, Trump hosted Pakistan’s newly-minted Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House—an unprecedented event. Trump told reporters:

“Two very smart people decided not to keep going with that war; that could have been a nuclear war.”

Pakistan’s military issued a statement claiming the two discussed trade, economic development, cryptocurrency, and tensions between Israel and Iran.

The irony is stark. Only a few years ago, Trump had castigated Pakistan for "lies and deceit" and suspended military aid. Yet three days after Pakistan’s gruesome terrorist attack in Pahalgam, he handed over USD 397 million to Islamabad to "maintain the F-16 fighter jet fleet... for counterterrorism, not action against India."

Even without a Modi-Munir meeting, Trump's repeated references to both ensured that India and Pakistan were once again rhetorically "re-hyphenated."

A Nobel Nomination and a Deadly Gift

In a bizarre twist, Pakistan nominated Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize on 21 June, citing his "diplomatic intervention" during Op Sindoor. But just two days later, following a U.S. airstrike on Iranian nuclear facilities—which strangely produced no radiation leaks—Pakistani politicians began demanding a review of Trump’s nomination.

Meanwhile, reports from Iranian media, @OsintUpdates, and Financial Express suggested a more sinister subplot: During a 31 May meeting in Tehran, Munir allegedly gifted Iranian General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri a wristwatch embedded with a GPS tracker. On 13 June, Baqeri and two deputies were killed in a targeted strike.

Strategic Costs and Lessons for India

There is increasing evidence that Trump has offered Pakistan advanced military equipment and financial aid in exchange for strategic cooperation—particularly access to airbases and logistics. How this plays out remains to be seen. India, meanwhile, finds itself once again let down by the U.S. Trump appeared unable to tolerate that India succeeded in neutralising Pakistan’s military and terror assets without American help and refused to validate his false claims of mediation.

Op Sindoor reaffirmed the Indian Armed Forces’ formidable capacity—not only in strength but in high-tech precision and planning. Despite the swirl of propaganda, disinformation, and fake news, the damage inflicted on Pakistan’s military and terrorist infrastructure was substantial.

Time for a Strategic Reset

It is fortunate that PM Modi responded to Trump with clarity and firmness. However, New Delhi must now seriously consider a strategic course correction in dealing with the Trump administration. Among key steps:

• Maintain heightened and continuous intelligence surveillance;

• Address all critical shortages in arms, ammunition, and equipment;

• Adopt a more assertive and proactive posture in both diplomatic and political engagement—whether dealing with adversaries or so-called allies playing double games.

(The writer is a strategic affairs analyst and former spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence and Indian Army. He can be contacted at wordsword02@gmail.com, LinkedIn, and @ColAnilBhat8252 on X (Twitter).