S TRAIGHT talk was what Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi did on a 35-minute phone call to United States President Mr. Donald Trump from the G7 Summit venue of Kananaskis in Canada. In no uncertain words, Mr. Modi made it clear to Mr. Trump that India brooked no mediation from the United States or any other country during the recent military clash with Pakistan and that in future also it would entertain nothing of that sort. The Prime Minister’s message was as much to the US President as it was to the entire world -- that on issue of terrorism or Kashmir, the Indian stand has been crystal clear and no compromises or political settlements would be thought of. The stance Mr. Narendra Modi took during that 35-minute confabulation with Mr. Donald Trump, thus, can be considered as a good example of diplomatic classicism.

 

The talk was straight beyond doubt, but it was full of wisdom to uphold the country’s policy at any cost beyond socalled drawing room niceties. The Prime Minister declined politely the invitation by Mr. Trump to take a detour to Washington on his way back home from Canada for quick parley -- demonstrating in the process that his priorities were paramount and could not be adjusted so easily. The conversation encompassed a few other issues as well, but the thrust of the Prime Minister’s talk was clear -- that India’s foreign policy concerns were not circumscribed by anything other than its national interests.

 

The Prime Minister also made it clear -- as explained by Foreign Secretary Mr. Vikram Misri to the world -- India did not entertain any contact by the United States following the launch of Operation Sindoor and that cessation of military activity by India took place only after a direct talk between the Directors General of Military Operations of the two countries and that that talk was initiated by the Pakistani DGMO. Mr. Narendra Modi also reminded Mr. Donald Trump that when US Vice President Mr. J.D.Vance told India that Pakistan could mount an attack on India, he was told in clear terms that Islamabad would face a stronger rebuff from India.

 

It is obvious that Mr. Narendra Modi did not leave any scope for Mr. Donald Trump to misinterpret his message in any manner -- providing to the world a great example of a nononsense approach to diplomatic communication between two heads of countries Unfortunate though it is that Mr. Trump did not seem to learn the right lesson from the telephonic conversation with Mr. Modi and continued his old refrain that it was he who initiated the ceasefire activity between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor. It is obvious, the stakes for Mr. Trump are too high and big to back down on the stand he has already taken in front of the big world. It is also obvious that Mr. Trump is trapped in the compulsions of domestic American politics in which he appears to have got enmeshed in multiple confrontations with people of eminence inside and outside politics.

 

Against this background, Mr. Modi’s straight talk must have come as a genuine shock to Mr. Donald Trump whose credibility as an individual person or statesman is at stake for a variety of reasons. That is the reason he is trying to wriggle out of the situation by insisting that it was he who initiated the ceasefire talk between India and Pakistan. By no standard can India accept such a stance by not just the United States President but also by anybody of whatever consequence. For India, this diplomatic confrontation was absolutely the need of the hour since its national policy-line was being disturbed unnecessarily by the US President (for reasons known only to Mr. Donald Trump). Mr. Narendra Modi played his part well and left things for Mr. Trump to fend for himself.