Jaishankar Dismisses Trump’s Mediation Claims, Says India-Pakistan Ceasefire Was Directly Negotiated

New Delhi, May 22 – External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar firmly rejected former U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims that the United States played a mediating role in the recent ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Speaking to Dutch broadcaster NOS, Jaishankar emphasized that the ceasefire, declared on May 10, was the result of direct communication between New Delhi and Islamabad.

“The ceasefire was negotiated directly between India and Pakistan,” Jaishankar said. “We told everyone, including the U.S., that if they want an understanding, they have to talk to us directly. And that’s why it happened.”

Jaishankar revealed that several nations reached out during the brief four-day conflict, but India’s stance remained clear: any talks about de-escalation had to be between India and Pakistan only.

“We made it very clear to everyone — not just the United States — that if the Pakistanis wanted to stop fighting, they needed to communicate it to us directly. Their general had to call up our general and say it. And that is exactly what happened,” he said.

According to the minister, the proposition to de-escalate came from the Pakistani side. “It was the Pakistani army which sent a message that they were ready to stop firing, and we responded accordingly,” he added.

Taking a dig at Trump’s earlier claims, Jaishankar quipped, “The U.S. was in the United States,” underscoring that no third party had a hand in the ceasefire.

While confirming that senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Vice President, had reached out to India, Jaishankar clarified that these were expressions of concern, not mediation efforts.

On the topic of the recent Pahalgam terror attacks, the minister condemned the killings as a calculated attempt to disrupt communal harmony and derail Kashmir’s growing tourism sector.

“Twenty-six people were murdered in front of their families after ascertaining their faith,” he said. “It was a clear attempt to create communal tension and damage the tourism industry, which is the backbone of Kashmir’s economy.”

Jaishankar reiterated India’s firm stance on national security and diplomacy, stressing that New Delhi remains committed to peace but will not tolerate terrorism or foreign interference in its sovereign matters.