New Delhi, India, July 19, 2025 – Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address claims made by US President Donald Trump regarding the downing of five jets during the India-Pakistan conflict in May 2025. The demand comes as Trump reiterated his assertion that he played a pivotal role in de-escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations, a claim India has consistently refuted.
In a post on social media, Gandhi wrote, “Modi ji, what is the truth about the 5 jets? The country has the right to know!” He shared a video of Trump’s remarks, made during a dinner with Republican senators at the White House on July 18, 2025, where the US President stated, “You had India, Pakistan, that was going… in fact, planes were being shot out of the air… four or five. But I think five jets were shot down actually.” Trump did not specify whether the jets belonged to India, Pakistan, or a combination of both.
The controversy stems from India’s Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, 2025, in response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists. The operation targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Trump has claimed, on multiple occasions since May 10, 2025, that his administration brokered a ceasefire through trade pressure, a narrative India has firmly rejected. Indian officials maintain that the cessation of hostilities was achieved through direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan, initiated at Pakistan’s request.
Congress leaders have intensified their criticism of the Modi government’s silence on Trump’s remarks. Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram questioned the government’s credibility, stating on social media, “After President Trump’s latest statement, what does the government of India have to say? Silence is no answer.” He added, “I would like to believe the government of India, but if the government does not state the truth — actually does not say anything at all on the outcomes of the 5-day war — what do we believe?”
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh also took aim at Modi, referencing the Prime Minister’s past engagements with Trump, including the ‘Howdy Modi’ event in September 2019 and ‘Namaste Trump’ in February 2020. “The sensational new revelation by President Trump this time around is that five jets may have been downed. The Prime Minister, who has had years of friendship and huglomacy with President Trump, has to now himself make a clear and categorical statement in Parliament,” Ramesh posted on social media.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hit back, accusing Gandhi of promoting a “traitor’s mentality.” BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya argued that Trump did not explicitly attribute the downed jets to India and questioned why Gandhi assumed they were Indian aircraft. “Why did he not believe they belonged to Pakistan? Does he have more sympathy for Pakistan than his own country?” Malviya wrote on social media, adding, “Rahul Gandhi should clarify – is he an Indian or the spokesperson of Pakistan?”
India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, has denied Pakistan’s claims that six Indian jets, including three Rafale fighters, were shot down during the conflict. “What is important is not the jet being down, but why they were being down,” Chauhan said, emphasizing that India had rectified tactical errors and resumed operations successfully.
As the Monsoon Session of Parliament begins on July 21, 2025, the Congress party is expected to press the government for answers. The opposition’s demand for transparency has sparked a heated political debate, with the BJP dismissing the allegations as anti-national rhetoric. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s claim of downing Indian jets remains unsubstantiated, and India continues to assert that no foreign mediation was involved in resolving the conflict.
The controversy underscores the delicate balance of India’s foreign policy and the domestic political ramifications of international claims, as the nation awaits an official response from the Modi government.
