‘For more than 50 years now…’: S Jaishankar dismisses Trump’s India-Pak mediation claims

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar

Amid Donald Trump’s repeated assertions about Washington’s role in the India-Pakistan ceasefire, external affairs minister S Jaishankar underlined that India has not accepted any third-party mediation in its relations with the neighbouring country for more than five decades.

Speaking at The Economic Times World Leaders Forum 2025, Jaishankar said, “On the issue of mediating (India-Pak conflict), since 1970s, for more than 50 years now, there's a national consensus in this country that we do not accept mediation in our relations with Pakistan.”

On a question whether United States played a constructive role during Operation Sindoor, Jaishankar responded, “It is a fact that, at that time, phone calls were made. Phone calls were made by the US, phone calls were made by other countries as well. This is not a secret.”

“When something like this happens, countries do call up. When Israel-Iran and Russia-Ukraine happened, I called up. It is an inter dependent world and countries who have a stronger history of international relations will do that. That is one thing. However, it is quite different to assert a mediation or to assert that an outcome which was negotiated between India and Pakistan was not negotiated between them,” the EAM added further.

His statement came hours after US President Trump, wearing a cap that read “Right About Everything" in the Oval Office, once again claimed credit for stopping a “nuclear war" between India and Pakistan.

“We solved what could’ve been a nuclear war with India and Pakistan. It was getting ready to be a nuclear war," he said.

While Trump has made the claim repeatedly, New Delhi has rejected it outright, underscoring that Pakistan called for the ceasefire after incurring significant losses in Operation Sindoor.

Trump first declared on May 10 that Washington had negotiated a “full and immediate” ceasefire between India and Pakistan after an intense night of discussions. He has since restated this claim over 40 times, insisting he “helped resolve” the standoff. India, however, has firmly stated that the ceasefire was the outcome of direct DGMO-level talks between the two armies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also told Parliament that no foreign leader played a role in halting Operation Sindoor, stressing that the decision was India’s alone.

On India-US ties due to Trump’s tariff announcement, Jaishankar said trade talks were ongoing despite tensions. "We are two big countries, as I say, the lines are not cut, people are talking to each other, and we will see where it goes," he added.