External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has firmly rejected claims made by US President Donald Trump regarding Washington’s alleged role in brokering the ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Speaking in Washington DC on Thursday, Jaishankar clarified that the ceasefire agreement, which came after intense cross-border military escalation in May, was entirely the result of direct communication between the two countries’ Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs).
Refuting Trump’s repeated assertions that US-led trade diplomacy helped ease tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad, Jaishankar said, “The record of what happened at that time was very clear and the ceasefire was something which was negotiated between the DGMOs of the two countries.” He refrained from further elaboration, stating, “I will leave it at that.”
The military escalation referred to began after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 civilian lives. In retaliation, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, striking multiple terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
During a recent fireside chat, Jaishankar recalled being present during a phone call on May 9 between US Vice President Vance and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said Vance warned that Pakistan was preparing for a large-scale attack unless India conceded to certain demands. However, PM Modi made it clear that India would not yield to pressure, indicating a swift and strong response if provoked.
Jaishankar noted that Pakistan did carry out a significant offensive that same night. India responded immediately, and by the next morning, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted Jaishankar, saying that Pakistan was ready to negotiate. This rapid turnaround led to the mutual ceasefire agreement being finalized.
On May 10, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri publicly announced that the Pakistani DGMO had reached out to his Indian counterpart, leading both sides to halt all hostilities across land, air, and sea.
Despite Trump’s insistence that his administration’s trade tactics played a key role in diffusing the conflict, Indian officials have consistently maintained that the ceasefire was achieved solely through bilateral military channels, without third-party mediation.
