External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday categorically denied U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims of playing a role in facilitating the ceasefire between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Speaking in Parliament during the debate on Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam incident, Jaishankar said, “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 the ceasefire was announced).”
His statement directly contradicted Trump’s assertion that he was instrumental in preventing the conflict from escalating.
Jaishankar emphasised that India had consistently rejected any suggestion of U.S. mediation in the dispute with Pakistan, especially regarding Pakistan's illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir.
He also stated that Modi communicated this position clearly to Trump during a call in mid-June.
Referring to Trump’s remarks about using trade deals as leverage to de-escalate tensions, Jaishankar dismissed them entirely.
Trump had reportedly told Indian and Pakistani representatives, “Fellas, let’s not trade nuclear missiles... let’s trade the things you make so beautifully.” Jaishankar made it clear that no such influence was accepted by India.
He reiterated comments made earlier on July 1, where he disclosed that he had been with Prime Minister Modi when U.S. Vice President JD Vance called on May 9.
During that conversation, Modi warned Vance of an impending large-scale Pakistani assault. The next major development came when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed Jaishankar that “the Pakistanis are ready to talk.” This was followed by Pakistan’s Director-General of Military Operations initiating contact with India.
Jaishankar’s comments came in response to opposition criticism that the government had compromised India’s diplomatic sovereignty by allegedly allowing a foreign power to dictate terms. Addressing these concerns, he asserted, “India will not tolerate terrorism on its territory and reserves the right to take necessary measures to defend its people.”