Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a categorical rejection of any foreign mediation in the Kashmir dispute during a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, reaffirming India’s longstanding policy of resolving bilateral issues directly with Pakistan.
"India has never accepted, does not accept, and will never accept third-party mediation. There is complete political unanimity in India on this," said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, briefing the press on Wednesday morning.The emphatic declaration came during a 35-minute call initiated by President Trump while PM Modi was attending the G7 Summit in Canada. The discussion was triggered by Trump’s inquiry into Operation Sindoor, India’s recent counter-terror military operation following the Pahalgam terror attack, widely believed to have been orchestrated by Pakistan-based militant groups.
Operation Sindoor: A Calibrated Response
PM Modi explained that Operation Sindoor had been a “measured and precise” response, strictly targeting terrorist infrastructure located within Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). He reiterated that India’s strategic restraint was not a result of external pressure but a sovereign decision rooted in national security imperatives and regional stability.
Trump’s Ceasefire Claim and India’s Pushback
The phone call followed a series of public remarks by President Trump in which he claimed personal credit for facilitating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack. Trump has also repeatedly offered to mediate the Kashmir issue, despite New Delhi’s unequivocal stance against third-party involvement.
India has firmly denied that any foreign intervention played a role in halting hostilities. PM Modi clarified that the request for de-escalation had come from Pakistan, and that existing backchannel military-to-military communication mechanisms were used to convey terms.
“There was no connection to the India-US trade dialogue,” Mr. Misri said, firmly dismissing speculation that economic incentives or the threat of higher tariffs played a role in brokering peace.Trump, for his part, had previously remarked, “Let’s not trade nukes, let’s trade,” implying that commercial diplomacy influenced the ceasefire — a suggestion India has rejected as inaccurate and misleading.
Geopolitical Backdrop: Iran-Israel Tensions and the Pakistan Factor
The timing of the Modi-Trump call is notable, as it came just hours before President Trump’s scheduled meeting with Pakistan’s Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir at the White House — the first such visit since the Pahalgam incident. According to the official schedule, the two were set to meet for a working lunch in the Cabinet Room at 1 PM Eastern Time (10:30 PM IST).
While described officially as a bilateral meeting to reinforce military and strategic ties, the visit carries broader implications. With Iran and Israel teetering on the edge of open war, the US is reportedly exploring contingency plans to stabilize the region — particularly due to Pakistan’s shared border with Iran and its critical role in any future American deployment scenarios.
Washington, which still views Islamabad as a tactical ally in the region, may be seeking to shore up influence in Pakistan as broader West Asian tensions threaten to spill over.
India Holds Its Line: “Only Talks on Terror and PoK”
PM Modi’s statements during the call reinforced a message he had previously delivered in his national address on May 12, shortly after the ceasefire. In that address, the Prime Minister made clear that no negotiations with Pakistan would be possible unless two core demands were met:
The complete dismantling of terror infrastructure on Pakistani soil.
The return of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which India considers sovereign territory.
“If we ever engage with Pakistan, it will only be on the issues of terrorism and PoK,” PM Modi had said.No G7 Sidelines Meeting, but Trump Invites Modi to Washington
Foreign Secretary Misri confirmed that President Trump invited PM Modi to visit Washington following the conclusion of the G7 Summit. However, due to prior commitments, the Indian leader politely declined.
The phone call was arranged as a substitute for a planned in-person meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the summit — a meeting that was ultimately cancelled due to Trump’s early departure from the G7 proceedings.
Despite differing interpretations of recent diplomatic developments, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining strong bilateral ties, particularly in the areas of counter-terrorism, trade, and strategic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
PM Modi’s firm articulation of India’s position underscores the country’s determination to maintain strategic autonomy and uphold its core national interests without external interference. While the US continues to engage with both India and Pakistan, New Delhi has drawn a clear line in the sand: there will be no compromise on sovereignty, and no space for mediation.