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 did not and would “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.

 

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 talks. 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.