Washington: Amid escalating tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack, former US President Donald Trump on Wednesday once again claimed credit for brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, stating that trade negotiations and his personal diplomacy helped de-escalate the crisis. However, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has rejected the claim, reiterating that no foreign mediation was involved.
Trump’s Statement and Mediation Claim
During a joint press interaction with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House, Trump said:
“We settled that whole thing, and I think I settled it through trade… We’re doing a big deal with India. We’re doing a big deal with Pakistan. The shooting was getting worse… we got it settled.”
Trump emphasized his close relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a “great guy”, and praised the leadership of both nations for responding positively to his outreach.
Earlier, Trump had taken to Truth Social to declare:
“After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence.”
Backdrop: Operation Sindoor
Trump’s claims follow the aftermath of India’s Operation Sindoor, launched in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. The operation targeted nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and led to intensified cross-border confrontations.
Pakistan responded with drone incursions and LoC shelling, drawing sharp responses from India’s military establishment.
India’s MEA Rejects Mediation Role
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) swiftly refuted Trump’s assertion of US-brokered peace.
“We have a long-standing national position that any issues pertaining to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir have to be addressed bilaterally by India and Pakistan. That stated policy has not changed,” the MEA stated firmly.
The ministry further clarified that trade discussions with the US had not taken place in the window between the start of Operation Sindoor on May 7 and the ceasefire understanding on May 10.
“From the time Operation Sindoor commenced… there were conversations between Indian and US leaders on the evolving military situation. The issue of trade did not come up in any of these discussions,” the statement added.
A Diplomatic Misfire?
This is not the first time Trump has publicly inserted himself into India-Pakistan relations. In past years, Trump has made similar mediation claims, which were also denied by India, in line with its consistent policy of bilateral resolution on issues with Pakistan.
While Trump continues to tout his diplomatic achievements on the campaign trail and via his social media platform, New Delhi has made it clear that Jammu and Kashmir remains an internal matter, and no external facilitation was involved in the recent developments.
As the region recovers from the recent escalation, the diplomatic back-and-forth underscores the sensitive and complex dynamics of South Asian geopolitics, where foreign intervention claims often collide with firm sovereignty principles.