ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE – U.S. President Donald Trump on April 25 downplayed the escalating crisis between India and Pakistan, saying the two neighbors must work out their differences independently following the deadliest attack in India’s Kashmir region in nearly 20 years.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump acknowledged the “great tension” between the two countries, referencing their long history of conflict over Kashmir. Although he mentioned knowing the leaders of both nations, he sidestepped questions about whether he would intervene or reach out directly.
“They’ll figure it out one way or another,” Trump said during the flight. “There’s great tension between Pakistan and India, but there always has been.”
The comments came just days after 26 civilians were killed in a brutal shooting at a popular tourist spot in Kashmir on April 22. India has attributed the attack to militants with ties to Pakistan, a claim Islamabad firmly denies.
The fallout has been swift: India has suspended the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty, while Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian airlines, further straining already fragile relations. Trade between the two nuclear-armed neighbors now also faces mounting uncertainty.
Indian financial markets reflected the rising anxiety, with stocks initially tumbling on April 25 amid fears of escalating conflict before partially rebounding later in the day.