Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rejected claims that the recent ceasefire between India and Pakistan in May was mediated by the United States. According to a statement by Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Modi told U.S. President Donald Trump during a phone call that the ceasefire came through direct military talks between the two nations, not through any foreign intervention.
Trump had previously stated that the four-day conflict in May ended after the U.S. mediated discussions and urged both sides to shift focus from war to trade. However, Modi firmly clarified that “there was no discussion about India-U.S. trade deals or U.S. mediation at any stage,” and that India handled the matter independently through existing military channels, with Pakistan initiating a request for de-escalation.
The 35-minute call took place at Trump’s request during the G7 Summit in Canada, where Modi attended as a guest. Indian officials say Modi used the call to strongly emphasize that India has never accepted third-party mediation on any bilateral matter, including Kashmir.
Pakistan, on its part, confirmed that its military responded to a May 7 call from India’s side to begin talks, which eventually led to the ceasefire. However, both countries reported limited casualties and localized damage during the brief conflict.
In response to India’s refusal of mediation, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that while President Trump offers help, it is “up to the parties involved to accept it.” Trump had recently referred to Kashmir as a “thousand-year-old conflict” and expressed willingness to help resolve it. India, however, has repeatedly maintained that Kashmir is an internal and bilateral issue, not open to international negotiation.