India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has emphatically rejected claims by former US President Donald Trump regarding any American role in brokering the de-escalation between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack and during Operation Sindoor.

Jaishankar clarified in Parliament that there was “no call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump between April 22 (the date of the Pahalgam attack) and June 17 (the date of the ceasefire),” directly countering Trump’s assertions of involvement in securing a ceasefire between the two nations.

He stressed that at no point was there any linkage between trade talks with the US and the ongoing security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

Jaishankar’s remarks were made amid a heated parliamentary debate, prompted by Trump’s previous public claims that he played a central part in convincing both Delhi and Islamabad to step back from armed conflict—claims Trump made at least 26 times, often referencing his supposed use of trade deals as leverage.

The Indian government, however, has consistently dismissed such assertions, reiterating that all diplomatic dealings with the US during that period were strictly delinked from issues concerning military escalation and were focused solely on trade.

According to Jaishankar, the only substantive contact around the escalation period involved a phone conversation between Modi and US Vice President JD Vance on May 9, wherein Modi reportedly warned of the threat posed by a significant Pakistani assault.

This was followed by communication from the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who relayed that Pakistan was willing to initiate dialogue, shortly before Pakistan’s military reached out requesting a cessation of hostilities. Notably, Jaishankar reinforced that these efforts were not tied to any US trade negotiations as suggested by Trump.

The Minister underscored India’s unwavering stance against terrorism, stating that after the Pahalgam attack, the government had to draw a clear red line and demonstrate resolve—a message with global resonance as evidenced by overwhelming international support for India’s right to self-defence at the United Nations.

Measures taken included diplomatic censures, suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, and dispatching cross-party Indian delegations to key countries, including the US, to articulate the nation’s zero-tolerance approach to terrorism and reaffirm the sovereign right to security.

Jaishankar further elaborated that Operation Sindoor was characterised by “measured” and “non-escalatory” actions, specifically targeting terrorist infrastructure rather than provoking wider military conflict.

He reiterated that India’s diplomatic outreach carried two core messages to its partners worldwide: zero tolerance for terrorism, and an uncompromised right to defend its people.

In conclusion, the Indian government remains firm in its stance that foreign influence, particularly via trade or mediation efforts, has not dictated its policies or responses in the face of terrorism from across the border.

The government maintains that the resolution of ceasefire and security matters remains an issue of national sovereignty and is determined by India’s assessment of its own security imperatives.

Based On ANI Report