The U.S. President Donald Trump, on Friday, stated that Pakistani officials will come to Washington next week for trade negotiations, while adding that the U.S. is "very close to making a deal with India."

Talking during a visit to Joint Base Andrews, Trump reminded that any potential trade deals with either India or Pakistan would be subject to the two countries not engaging in military conflict. "I wouldn't have any interest in making a deal with either if they were going to be at war with each other," he said.

India and Pakistan tensions have increased since the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack and India's follow-up Operation Sindoor. The crisis deepened this month with missile exchanges, artillery bombardments, drones, and fighter jets, the most intense military clashes in years between the nuclear-armed neighbors.

Pakistan is looking to steer clear of oncoming U.S. tariffs that could amount to 29% on its imports as a result of a $3 billion trade surplus with America. The same has been done for India with a 26% tariff on its imports. Both nations are negotiating to make these trade barriers less severe.

Trump had asserted that U.S. intervention, through the use of trade negotiations, had been instrumental in brokering a ceasefire between Pakistan and India. "We were able to prevent potentially a nuclear war using trade instead of bullets," he said. Indian officials, however, have disputed this version, saying that the stopping of hostilities was directly negotiated between India and Pakistan without any mediation.

With trade negotiations moving ahead, both countries seek to seal deals that would ease tariff tensions and enhance economic relations with the U.S. India also is negotiating to permit American firms to bid on more than $50 billion in government contracts under the proposed agreement.

The impending visit of Pakistani envoys and the on-going negotiations with India highlight the U.S.'s strategic interest in South Asia, weighing economic interests against regional security.