Two 'very smart' leaders had themselves decided to avoid escalation: Trump

FOR the first time in weeks, US President Donald Trump refrained from taking credit for preventing a potential war between India and Pakistan and said the two "very smart" leaders had themselves decided to avoid escalation.

- JAYANTH JACOB @ New Delhi

The remarks came after a rare luncheon meeting with Pakistan army chief Asim Munir at the White House — a diplomatic gesture usually reserved for heads of states or governments.

"The reason I had him here, I want to thank him for not going into the war. And I want to thank, as you know, Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

"We're working on a trade deal with India. We're working on a trade deal with Pakistan."