“Let’s do business, not war”: Trump recounts role in India-Pakistan ceasefire at Riyadh Summit

US President Donald Trump has drawn global attention once again to the India-Pakistan conflict, stating that his administration played a pivotal role in averting a dangerous escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. 

Addressing a gathering in Riyadh, he also floated the idea of a diplomatic dinner between the leaders of both countries as a symbolic step towards peace.

Trump, said, “Just a few days ago, my administration successfully helped negotiate a historic ceasefire between India and Pakistan to halt a dangerously escalating situation. And I used trade—not missiles—as the tool to achieve this.”

Explaining his approach, Trump remarked, “I told both sides: Let’s do business, not war. Both countries have strong and intelligent leadership, which is why everything stopped when it did. If it hadn’t, the consequences could have been catastrophic. Millions could have died.”

Trump went on to describe the origins of the recent Indo-Pak conflict, noting that it began from a relatively small issue but was quickly intensifying. He credited timely diplomatic intervention for preventing further deterioration of the situation.

In a surprising and symbolic gesture, the former U.S. President proposed that the leaders of India and Pakistan share a meal. 

“It would be a wonderful idea for both leaders to sit down for dinner,” he said, suggesting that such an encounter could help ease long-standing tensions and build trust.

The proposal, though informal, has caught the attention of international observers who see it as part of Trump’s unconventional but high-profile approach to diplomacy. 

His comments in Riyadh reflect continued global concern over South Asia’s volatile security dynamics and underline the potential for external mediation in regional conflicts.

While there has been no immediate response from the governments of India or Pakistan regarding the proposed dinner or Trump’s claims about the ceasefire, his remarks have reignited discussions on the need for sustained dialogue and peaceful conflict resolution between the two rivals.