Any India-Pakistan engagement has to be bilateral; talks and terror don't go together: MEA

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday reiterated that any engagement between India and Pakistan must remain strictly bilateral.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal made the statement during a press briefing, in response to a question about US President Donald Trump taking credit for the India-Pakistan ceasefire.

“…I would like to let you know, that you are aware of our position that any India-Pakistan engagement has to be bilateral. At the same time, I would like to remind you that talks and terror don't go together,” he said.

“I would also like to underline that any bilateral discussion on Jammu and Kashmir will only be on the vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan. And on the question of Indus Waters Treaty, I am again repeating myself, it will remain in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism. As our Prime Minister has said, water and blood cannot flow together. Trade and terror also cannot go together,” he added.

The US President has been repeatedly claiming that he helped settle the tensions between India and Pakistan even as India has been saying that the understanding was reached through bilateral discussion between the Director General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both the nations.

Early on May 7, India carried out precision strikes under Operation Sindoor on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir -- in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.

Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10. The Indian forces launched a fierce counter-attack on several Pakistani military installations.

India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the military confrontation after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.

On May 10, Trump had announced that India and Pakistan agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire after a long night of talks "mediated" by Washington.