Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has sharply criticised US President Donald Trump’s claim of mediating the recent India-Pakistan ceasefire, describing it as a “step backward” for India’s diplomatic position. 

Tharoor outlined four principal objections to Trump’s remarks, each reflecting significant concerns about how the issue was portrayed internationally and its impact on India’s longstanding policies.

Firstly, Tharoor argued that Trump’s statement created a false equivalence between India and Pakistan, characterising India as the victim of cross-border terrorism and Pakistan as the perpetrator. He pointed out that the US has historically recognised Pakistan’s documented support for terrorism, and Trump’s comments appeared to overlook this established understanding, thereby undermining India’s moral and diplomatic stance.

Secondly, Tharoor objected to Trump offering Pakistan a negotiating platform it had not earned. He stressed that India’s policy is to never negotiate with Pakistan under the threat of terrorism, reaffirming that dialogue cannot proceed while acts of terror persist. According to Tharoor, Trump’s remarks risked legitimising Pakistan’s position without addressing its support for terrorism.

Thirdly, Tharoor condemned Trump for “internationalising” the Kashmir dispute. He argued that presenting Kashmir as an international issue aligns with the objectives of terrorist groups seeking global attention. Tharoor reiterated that India views Kashmir as an internal matter and has consistently rejected any foreign mediation or intervention in its disputes with Pakistan.

Finally, Tharoor criticised Trump for “re-hyphenating” India and Pakistan in the global imagination, a reversal of decades of diplomatic effort to treat the two countries separately. Since 2000, US Presidents had avoided visiting both countries on the same trip, a symbolic gesture to acknowledge their distinct identities. Tharoor viewed Trump’s comments as undoing this progress and returning to an outdated framework of viewing India and Pakistan as a single regional problem set.

Tharoor further clarified that while the US and other countries did play a constructive diplomatic role by communicating with both sides during the crisis, this did not amount to formal mediation. He emphasised that India never requested mediation and would not accept foreign intervention in issues it considers internal and manageable on its own.

Tharoor described Trump’s public claims as highly irregular in international diplomacy, noting that such announcements are not standard practice and could misrepresent the nature of diplomatic engagement.

Tharoor’s critique reflects deep concerns about the implications of Trump’s statements for India’s diplomatic posture, the risk of legitimising Pakistan’s actions, the internationalisation of the Kashmir issue, and the reversal of efforts to treat India and Pakistan as distinct entities in global affairs.

Agencies