During a 35-minute telephonic conversation, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it unequivocally clear to US President Donald Trump that the United States played no role in the recent ceasefire between India and Pakistan. This direct assertion by Modi came in response to repeated claims by Trump that the US had mediated or influenced the cessation of hostilities, including suggestions that trade discussions with India contributed to the outcome.
Modi, according to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, conveyed that at no stage during the entire period of Operation Sindoor were there any talks about an India-US trade deal or any US mediation in the ceasefire process.
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He reiterated India’s longstanding position that it has never accepted, does not accept, and will never accept third-party mediation in its disputes with Pakistan. Modi emphasized that there is complete political unanimity in India on this issue, and that all ceasefire discussions took place directly between Indian and Pakistani military officials through established channels, specifically at the level of the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs).
The context for these developments was a sharp escalation in India-Pakistan tensions following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. India responded with precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7.
Pakistan retaliated by targeting Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10, to which India responded firmly. The eventual agreement to halt hostilities was reached through direct military-to-military communication, initiated by Pakistan, and not through any external mediation.
Despite these facts, President Trump publicly claimed credit for brokering peace, stating that the US had “settled” the conflict, even attributing the ceasefire to trade negotiations. He remarked, “If you take a look at what we just did with Pakistan and India. We settled that whole, and I think I settled it through trade.”
Trump’s assertions led to political controversy in India, with opposition parties questioning Modi’s silence on the US President’s statements. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, among others, dismissed the possibility of effective mediation between the two countries, emphasizing the asymmetry between terrorists and their victims.
Foreign Secretary Misri further clarified that Modi informed Trump India would now treat terrorist attacks as acts of war rather than proxy actions, signaling a shift in policy and a tougher stance on cross-border terrorism. Trump, according to Misri, acknowledged Modi’s points and expressed support for India’s fight against terrorism.
While US officials and President Trump continued to portray the US as a peacemaker and suggested that American diplomatic engagement contributed to the de-escalation, Indian officials have firmly maintained that the ceasefire was a bilateral matter, achieved without third-party intervention. The official Indian position is that Operation Sindoor is only suspended, with Pakistan remaining under close scrutiny.
The conversation concluded with Trump inviting Modi to visit the US, an invitation Modi could not accept due to prior commitments. Both leaders, however, agreed to meet soon.
Despite persistent US claims of involvement, India has categorically denied any third-party role in the ceasefire process, underscoring the direct and bilateral nature of the talks that led to the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan.
Based On ET News Report
