Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has firmly dismissed claims by former US President Donald Trump that Washington played a mediating role in the recent India-Pakistan ceasefire following Operation Sindoor. In a pointed remark, Jaishankar said, “The US was in the United States,” clarifying that the ceasefire was a direct bilateral outcome between New Delhi and Islamabad.
Ceasefire was bilateral, not brokered
In an interview with Dutch broadcaster NOS, Jaishankar stated that while the US and other nations had reached out during the hostilities, no foreign country played a role in brokering peace. “This is something between us and the Pakistanis. We propose to deal with it bilaterally,” he asserted.
Operation Sindoor and strategic messaging
India launched Operation Sindoor in response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which left 26 people dead. The retaliatory strikes targeted nine terror-linked sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), killing over 100 militants from groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
According to Jaishankar, the operation continues “in principle” as a strategic deterrent. “The message is clear—if there are acts of the kind we saw, we will respond. If the terrorists are in Pakistan, we will hit them where they are,” he said. However, he clarified that the operation is currently “dormant,” not indicative of ongoing military confrontation.
Pakistan initiated ceasefire
Jaishankar revealed that the ceasefire was initiated through hotline communication by the Pakistani military on May 10. “Their general called our general and said they were ready to stop firing, and we responded accordingly,” he said.
US role limited to expressing concern
He acknowledged that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance had made calls to him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi respectively. “We told them clearly: if Pakistan wants peace, they need to speak to us directly,” Jaishankar said.
Rejects Trump’s ‘thousand-year conflict’ remarks
When asked about Donald Trump’s repeated claims of having facilitated a ceasefire or offering to mediate a “thousand-year conflict,” Jaishankar dismissed them outright. “It’s a bilateral matter. We do not require mediation,” he reiterated.
On Kashmir: No negotiation
Jaishankar also addressed the Kashmir issue, stating unequivocally that India’s position is non-negotiable. “Kashmir is part of India. No country negotiates its own territory,” he said, while calling for Pakistan to vacate areas under its illegal occupation since 1947-48.
