India has indirectly rejected US President Donald Trump’s statement that the United States brokered the recent ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan. MEA today asserted J&K remains a bilateral issue between New Delhi and Islamabad.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Tuesday said that the ceasefire understanding was reached directly between the two countries without any third-party involvement.
Without naming Trump, Jaiswal said, “We have a long-standing national position that any issues pertaining to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have to be addressed by India and Pakistan bilaterally. That stated policy has not changed.”
Jaiswal further underlined that Jammu and Kashmir remains a bilateral issue between New Delhi and Islamabad. “The outstanding matter is the vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan,” the MEA spokesperson reiterated.
On President Trump’s remarks about Kashmir, Jaiswal said: “We have a longstanding national position that any issues pertaining to the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have to be addressed by India and Pakistan bilaterally. That stated policy has not changed. As you are aware, the outstanding matter is the vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan.”
Speaking about the decision to stop firing and the suggestion of foreign mediation, he gave a detailed timeline: “The specific date, time and wording of the understanding was worked out between the DGMOs of the two countries at their phone call on 10 May 2025 commencing 1535 hrs. The request for this call was received by the MEA from the Pakistani High Commission at 1237 hrs. The Pakistani side had initial difficulties connecting the hotline to the Indian side for technical reasons. The timing was then decided based on the availability of the Indian DGMO at 1535 hrs.”
Responding to Trump's claim that trade incentives were used as leverage to push India and Pakistan towards peace, the MEA confirmed there was no such conversation. “There was no reference to trade in any of these conversations,” Jaiswal said, referring to the 9 May call between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US Vice President JD Vance.
India maintains that the ceasefire agreement was reached through direct military communication between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries on 10 May. New Delhi says it was Pakistan that initiated the talks, not the US.
On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump had said on Saturday, “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both countries for using Common Sense and Great Intelligence.”
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