US President Donald Trump has once again publicly claimed personal credit for halting the recent military escalation between India and Pakistan, asserting that his intervention "stopped the war" and lamenting that the media had not given this story due attention.

This statement comes despite clear and repeated denials from the Indian side, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has emphasised that the ceasefire was negotiated directly between India and Pakistan, without any third-party mediation or involvement from the United States.

The context for this episode was the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, India's measured military response to a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. India targeted terrorist camps and hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, leading to a sharp escalation in hostilities. In response, Pakistan attempted retaliatory strikes on Indian military bases, which further intensified the conflict.

Amidst these developments, Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) reached out to his Indian counterpart twice to request a cessation of hostilities.

The formal ceasefire understanding was reached through established military communication channels on May 10, following days of intense cross-border military actions. Indian sources have consistently maintained that this truce was initiated at Pakistan's request due to the heavy losses it suffered and was not the result of any US mediation.

During a 35-minute phone call between PM Modi and President Trump, which took place after Trump had to leave the G7 Summit in Canada early, Modi made it unequivocally clear that India does not accept and will never accept third-party mediation in its disputes with Pakistan.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri briefed reporters that Modi told Trump the decision to cease hostilities was made directly between the two militaries and was prompted by Pakistan's appeals, not by any US intervention or trade deal discussions.

Despite these clarifications, President Trump has continued to reiterate his claim of having "stopped the war," crediting both PM Modi and Pakistan's leadership for their roles, and suggesting that his administration's approach—particularly leveraging trade—helped broker the truce. Trump has also expressed frustration that his role has not been acknowledged in the media, insisting that "not one story" had been written about his supposed intervention.

Indian officials, however, have underscored that the ceasefire was achieved firmly on India's terms, following decisive retaliatory strikes that left Pakistan with unsustainable losses and little choice but to seek de-escalation.

The Indian government has also reiterated that Operation Sindoor is only suspended and that Pakistan remains under close watch, with no formal trade negotiations or US-brokered deals having taken place during the crisis.

While President Trump continues to claim credit for stopping the conflict between India and Pakistan, the official Indian position remains that the ceasefire was a bilateral decision, initiated by Pakistan due to military pressure from India, and that the US played no mediatory role in the process.

Based On A NDTV Report