PM Modi to Trump: No US role in India-Pakistan ceasefire, no trade talks during conflict

Setting the record straight, Prime Minister Narendra Modi firmly told US President Donald Trump that Washington played no role in brokering last month’s ceasefire between India and Pakistan, dismissing Trump’s repeated claims of American mediation and trade threats forcing de-escalation.

The clarification came during a 35-minute phone conversation initiated by Trump, just hours before his scheduled meeting with Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir. According to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Modi emphasized that "at no point, and at no level, was there any discussion about a US-India trade deal or US mediation."

"The cessation of hostilities was negotiated directly between Indian and Pakistani military channels, following a request from Islamabad," Misri added, firmly contradicting Trump’s public assertions.

The conversation marked the first exchange between the two leaders since India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7. Modi briefed Trump on the operation’s measured and precise nature, underscoring India's restraint despite Pakistan's provocations.

He also revealed that the US Vice President had warned India of a possible large-scale Pakistani attack on May 9. When Pakistan launched drone and missile strikes that night, India responded with overwhelming force, disabling multiple Pakistani military assets.

PM Modi warned that any future Pakistani aggression would be met with even stronger retaliation.

Reiterating India’s unwavering stand on Kashmir, Modi told Trump that India has never accepted and will never accept third-party mediation on the issue, a position backed by full domestic political consensus.

While Trump invited Modi to stop by the US after his Canada visit, the Prime Minister declined due to prior commitments, but extended an invitation to Trump to attend the upcoming QUAD Summit in India—a proposal Trump accepted in principle. The two leaders also reviewed the deteriorating Israel-Iran situation and agreed on the importance of direct dialogue in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.