Prime Minister Narendra Modi has firmly denied U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that he played a key role in brokering last month’s ceasefire between India and Pakistan. In a phone call initiated by Trump, Modi made it clear that the United States had no involvement in halting hostilities and that no discussion on a US-India trade deal took place during the tensions.
Modi Rejects Mediation Claims
According to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who briefed the media on the 35-minute call, PM Modi categorically told President Trump that, “At no point, and at no level, was there any conversation involving the U.S. mediating between India and Pakistan, nor any talk of a trade agreement with the U.S. during the conflict.”
The ceasefire, Modi emphasized, was negotiated directly between Indian and Pakistani military officials via established communication channels — and only at Pakistan’s request. This phone conversation marked the first direct communication between Modi and Trump since India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7.
Operation Sindoor and the May 9-10 Escalation
During the call, PM Modi briefed Trump on the details of Operation Sindoor, describing India’s actions as “measured, precise, and non-escalatory.” He also acknowledged that U.S. Vice President JD Vance had alerted India on the night of May 9 about an impending large-scale Pakistani offensive.
That same night, Pakistan launched a barrage of drones and missiles. India retaliated forcefully, disabling several Pakistani military airbases. Modi reportedly made it clear to Trump that any future provocation from Pakistan would trigger a stronger Indian response.
Kashmir: ‘No Third-Party Mediation’
Reiterating India’s long-standing stance on Kashmir, Modi told Trump unequivocally:
“India has never accepted, does not accept, and will never accept third-party mediation on the Kashmir issue.”
He emphasized that this position has full political consensus across India’s leadership spectrum.
Modi Declines U.S. Visit, Invites Trump to QUAD Summit
Trump invited PM Modi to make a stopover visit to Washington, D.C. while returning from the G7 Summit in Canada. Modi declined, citing a previously scheduled visit to Croatia on June 18.
However, he extended an invitation to Trump to attend the upcoming QUAD Summit in India. While Trump accepted the invitation in principle, he did not confirm his attendance.
Shared Concerns: Indo-Pacific, Iran-Israel, and Ukraine
During their call, both leaders reaffirmed the importance of the QUAD alliance in maintaining balance and security in the Indo-Pacific, amid increasing Chinese assertiveness.
They also discussed the unfolding conflict between Israel and Iran. On the Russia-Ukraine war, both agreed that a peaceful resolution could only come through direct negotiations and pledged to support any such diplomatic efforts.
Trump’s Narrative Challenged
Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for halting India-Pakistan hostilities, asserting that his threat to suspend trade relations with both countries was decisive. However, India has now publicly dismissed these statements, underscoring that the ceasefire was a bilateral military arrangement, and the U.S. had no role.
As geopolitical tensions rise across multiple fronts, the conversation between Modi and Trump reaffirms India’s firm diplomatic footing and its resistance to any narrative that downplays its sovereign decision-making.
