'Let's stop it': When US President Donald Trump used trade as war deterrent for India and Pakistan

NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump on Monday claimed that he used trade as a war deterrent for India and Pakistan claiming that he threatened them saying that the States would stop doing trade with them if the two nations did not end the military operations against each other. "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. People have never really used trade the way I used it. By that, I can tell you, and all of a sudden they said. I think we're gonna stop, and they have," Trump said.However, India has denied any such discussions related to trade after the operation began, ANI reported citing sources."After Operation Sindoor commenced, VP JD Vance spoke to the PM on May 9. Secretary Rubio spoke to EAM on 8 May and 10 May and to NSA on 10 May. There was no reference to trade in any of these discussions," ANI said citing sources.Trump went on to appreciate the leadership of two nations for understanding "the gravity of the situation"."I'm very proud to let you know that the leadership of Indian and Pakistan was unwavering and powerful, but unwavering in both cases - they really were from the standpoint of having the strength and the wisdom and fortitude to fully know and to understand the gravity of the situation. And we helped a lot, and we also helped with trade," he said.He assured that the US was going to do a "lot of trade" with both the nations."We're going to do a lot of trade with Pakistan. We're going to do a lot of trade with India. We're negotiating with India right now. We're going to be soon negotiated with Pakistan," he said.Meanwhile, tariff negotiations between India and US are ongoing and Trump has said at several occasions that the talks were going well.India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire after the two nations launched military operations against each other after Pahalgam attack. India targeted nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.