India has firmly pushed back against recent assertions made by the Donald Trump administration, which claimed that US tariff threats played a key role in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan during Operation Sindoor earlier this month. On Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) made it clear that discussions with the US during the May 7–10 period were strictly focused on the military developments and did not involve any talk of trade or tariffs.
In response to the controversial claims, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “India has consistently expressed its opposition to this narrative. Throughout our communications with the US between May 7 and May 10, during the active phase and subsequent cessation of Operation Sindoor, the topic of tariffs was never raised.”
This clarification comes after a submission made by the Trump administration to the US Court of International Trade on May 23, in which it claimed that President Trump’s intervention—including the promise of increased trade access—helped prevent a major conflict in South Asia. The claim appears to serve a broader legal strategy aimed at defending the administration’s wide-reaching tariff initiatives.
India, however, is standing its ground. During the press briefing, Jaiswal reaffirmed New Delhi’s long-standing position that any talks with Pakistan must be strictly bilateral and contingent upon Pakistan’s concrete actions to eliminate terrorism. “Terrorism and dialogue cannot proceed simultaneously,” he emphasized.
He also noted that India has previously handed over lists of wanted terrorists to Islamabad, and no meaningful engagement will be possible until Pakistan returns these individuals and dismantles its support for cross-border terrorism.
Addressing the contentious issue of Jammu and Kashmir, Jaiswal made India’s stance clear: discussions concerning the region will only take place once Pakistan vacates Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Until then, there is no room for negotiations.
On the matter of the Indus Water Treaty, he reiterated that the agreement will remain suspended until Pakistan verifiably and irreversibly ends its support for terrorism. He echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s words, stating that “water and blood cannot flow together,” just as “terror and trade” or “terror and talks” cannot coexist.
India’s rejection of the Trump-era narrative underscores its unwavering approach to both national security and foreign diplomacy, making it clear that military operations and counterterrorism efforts remain unaffected by external trade considerations.
