Says New Delhi will never accept mediation
Canada: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told President Donald Trump that India and Pakistan halted their military actions last month following direct talks between their militaries without any mediation by the US, calling out the American leader’s narrative that he brokered the ceasefire.
In a nearly 35-minute phone call with Trump on Tuesday, Modi firmly stated that India does not and will “never accept” mediation and that the discussions between Indian and Pakistani militaries on cessation of military actions were initiated at Islamabad’s request, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.
PM Modi also said that India no longer views “terrorism as a proxy war, but as a war itself”, and that India’s Operation Sindoor is still ongoing, the foreign secretary said.
Hours after the phone conversation with Modi, Trump on Wednesday repeated his persistent claim that he stopped a war between India and Pakistan.
“Well, I stopped the war..I love Pakistan. I think Modi is a fantastic man. I spoke to him last night. We’re going to make a trade deal with Modi of India. But I stopped the war between Pakistan and India,” Trump said.
The cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan was first announced by President Trump on May 10. Since then, the US president has been claiming that he brokered the ceasefire deal by threatening to stop trade with both countries if they do not agree to stop the conflict.
The prime minister declined a request by the US president to stop over in the US on his way back from Canada, citing “prior commitments”.
The May 7-10 military clashes between India and Pakistan figured prominently during the phone conversation that took place as the two leaders could not meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit following the American president’s early departure.
“Prime Minister Modi clearly conveyed to President Trump that at no point during this entire sequence of events was there any discussion, at any level, on an India-US trade deal, or any proposal for a mediation by the US between India and Pakistan,” Misri said.
“The discussion to cease military action took place directly between India and Pakistan through the existing channels of communication between the two armed forces, and it was initiated at Pakistan’s request,” he said, sharing key points of the Modi-Trump meeting.
The foreign secretary said Modi “firmly stated that India does not and will never accept mediation” and that there is complete political consensus in India on this matter.
PM Modi told President Trump in clear terms that after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, India had conveyed its determination to take action against terrorism to the whole world.
Modi told Trump that India had only targeted the terrorist camps and hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, adding India’s actions were very measured, precise, and non-escalatory, according to Misri.
“India had also made it clear that any act of aggression from Pakistan would be met with a stronger response,” the foreign secretary said.
“On the night of May 9, Vice President (JD) Vance had made a phone call to Prime Minister Modi. Vice President Vance had conveyed that Pakistan may launch a major attack on India,” Misri said.
Prime Minister Modi had conveyed to him in clear terms that if such an action were to occur, India would respond with an even stronger response, he said.
“On the night of May 9-10, India gave a strong and decisive response to Pakistan’s attack, inflicting significant damage on the Pakistani military,” he said on the phone conversation.
“Their military airbases were rendered inoperable. Due to India’s firm action, Pakistan was compelled to request a cessation of military operations,” he said.
Misri said President Trump enquired if PM Modi could stop over in the US on his way back from Canada.
“Due to prior commitments, Prime Minister Modi expressed his inability to do so. Both leaders agreed to make efforts to meet in the near future,” he said.
The two leaders also discussed the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.
“Both leaders agreed that for peace in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, direct dialogue between the two parties is essential, and continued efforts should be made to facilitate this,” Misri said.
“With regard to the Indo-Pacific region, both leaders shared their perspectives and expressed their support towards the significant role of Quad in the region,” he added.
“Prime Minister Modi extended an invitation to President Trump to visit India for the next Quad Summit. President Trump accepted the invitation and said that he is looking forward to visiting India,” Misri said.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended with an understanding on stopping the military actions on May 10.
New Delhi has been maintaining that India’s fierce counter-attack that day forced Pakistan to plead for ending the hostilities.
