"US Presence Was in the US": S. Jaishankar Refutes Trump's India-Pak Mediation Claim

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, in a recent interview with Netherlands-based broadcaster NOS, firmly reiterated that the recent cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan was a result of direct bilateral discussions and not influenced by any international mediation, including from the United States. He emphasized that the ceasefire, which followed heightened tensions between the two nations, was a strategic and sovereign decision between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Jaishankar highlighted India’s long-standing concerns regarding Pakistan’s use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy. He underscored India's right to respond firmly to terrorist threats, pointing to the April 22 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals. In retaliation, India launched “Operation Sindoor,” targeting nine terror-linked locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation reportedly led to the deaths of over 100 terrorists affiliated with groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.

He stated that Operation Sindoor remains active in principle, serving as a strategic signal to deter future terrorist actions. “The operation continues because there is a clear message in that operation — if there are acts of the kind we saw on April 22nd, there will be a response. We will hit the terrorists. If the terrorists are in Pakistan, we will hit them where they are,” Jaishankar said. However, he clarified that the continuation of the operation does not imply ongoing military conflict. The ceasefire is currently in effect, and military engagement has halted, making the operation dormant unless provoked again.

Jaishankar revealed that the ceasefire agreement was initiated on May 10 through hotline communication by the Pakistani military. They sent a message indicating their willingness to stop hostilities, to which India responded accordingly. Despite international concern, including from the US, the negotiations and decisions regarding the ceasefire were conducted solely between India and Pakistan.

Responding to suggestions that the United States played a role in facilitating the ceasefire, Jaishankar was firm: “The US was in the United States.” He confirmed that while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance reached out—Rubio to him and Vance to Prime Minister Modi—their involvement was limited to expressing concern. India made it clear to all international interlocutors, including the US, that the decision to end hostilities had to come directly from Pakistan, not through third-party mediation.

Jaishankar also responded to repeated claims by former US President Donald Trump, who suggested he helped broker the ceasefire and offered to mediate the "thousand-year conflict" between India and Pakistan. Jaishankar dismissed such assertions, insisting that the matter was strictly bilateral and would remain so.

Providing historical context, Jaishankar traced tensions back to 1947, pointing out that Pakistan had a history of using proxy forces while denying direct involvement. During independence, Pakistan sent infiltrators disguised as tribals into Kashmir — many of whom were military personnel.

Concluding his remarks, Jaishankar firmly reiterated that Kashmir is an integral part of India and is not open to negotiation. He stated that a part of Kashmir has remained under illegal occupation by Pakistan since 1947-48 and added that if any discussion were to happen, it would be about Pakistan vacating that illegally occupied region. He rejected any possibility of negotiations over the Line of Control or Jammu and Kashmir’s governance, emphasizing that India's territorial integrity is non-negotiable.