Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told US President Donald Trump that Delhi will never accept third-party mediation with Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir, India's senior-most diplomat said. Foreign secretary Vikram Misri said that Modi "strongly" conveyed India's long-held stand to Trump during a phone call between the two leaders on Tuesday. Trump has repeatedly offered to mediate between India and Pakistan to solve the "Kashmir issue" since a four-day conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May. The White House has not commented on India's statement. Mr Misri also said that Modi told Trump "clearly" that during the duration of the conflict, "no talks were held at any level on the India-America trade deal or on the mediation between India and Pakistan by America". Trump has repeatedly claimed that India and Pakistan ended the conflict after a ceasefire brokered by the US and also that he used trade as a lever to make them agree. Pakistan has backed US claims of brokering the ceasefire but India has denied it. "The talks regarding cessation of military action were held directly between India and Pakistan under the existing channels established between both militaries," Mr Misri said. Last month, Trump told reporters: "I said, 'Come on, we're going to do a lot of trade with you guys [India and Pakistan]. Let's stop it. Let's stop it. If you stop it, we'll do a trade. If you don't stop it, we're not going to do any trade.'" Delhi is rushing to negotiate a trade deal with the Trump administration before a 90-day pause on higher tariffs ends on 9 July. Kashmir is a contentious issue for both India and and Pakistan, who claim the region in whole, but administer it only in part. Bilateral talks over several decades have not led to any resolution. India treats Kashmir as an integral part of its territory and rules out any negotiation, particularly through a third party. Tensions escalated between the South Asian neighbours after India blamed Pakistan for a22 April attack on touristsin Indian-administered Kashmir in which 26 people, mainly tourists, were killed. Islamabad denied the charge. In May, India carried out air strikes on what it called terrorist infrastructure inside Pakistan, leading to four days of intense military action from both sides of the border. Both countries accused each other of targeting airbases and other military sites. As the conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations threatened to escalate further, Trump announced on 10 May that India and Pakistan had agreed to a "full and immediate ceasefire", brokered by the US. Later, in a post on Truth Social, he said: "I will work with you both to see if, after a thousand years, a solution can be arrived at, concerning Kashmir." (The Kashmir issue only dates back to 1947). A statement by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio the same day said that the two countries had also agreed "to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site". On 11 May, Trump repeated praise for India and Pakistan's leaders for understanding it was "time to stop the current aggression", adding that he was proud the US "was able to help you arrive at this historic and heroic decision". After Trump's statement on the ceasefire, Pakistan's foreign minister said the agreement had been reached by the two countries, adding that "three dozen countries" were involved in the diplomacy. India has, however, consistently denied any intervention by the US. Analysts say Trump's very public statements on offers of mediation over Kashmir have tested Delhi's red lines on the issue. Delhi has always encouraged its Western partners not to treat India and Pakistan as equals. It also discourages western leaders from undertaking visits to India and Pakistan at the same time. But Trump's tweets often hold India and Pakistan as equals. This has caused some discomfort in Delhi's diplomatic circles but analysts believe it's too early to say whether this will affect ongoing trade deal talks between Washington and Delhi.
India won't accept third-party mediation on Kashmir, Modi tells Trump
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Modi Reiterates India's Stance Against Third-Party Mediation on Kashmir in Call with Trump"
Bbc News
8.1
TruthLens AI Summary
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has firmly reiterated India's longstanding position that it will not accept any third-party mediation regarding the Kashmir issue, as communicated to US President Donald Trump during a recent phone call. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri emphasized that Modi's message was conveyed strongly, reinforcing India's sovereignty over the matter. This conversation comes in the wake of Trump's repeated offers to mediate between India and Pakistan, particularly following heightened tensions after a violent incident in April that resulted in the deaths of 26 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir. Modi made it clear that no discussions surrounding trade negotiations with the US or mediation efforts were conducted during the conflict, countering Trump's claims that a ceasefire was brokered by the US. India's position asserts that any military discussions should occur directly between India and Pakistan, without external intervention, which remains a sensitive point in diplomatic relations for New Delhi.
The backdrop of this diplomatic exchange includes a complex history of conflict over Kashmir, a region claimed by both India and Pakistan but administered separately. The bilateral relationship has been fraught with tension, particularly following airstrikes carried out by India in May, which targeted what it termed terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan. Trump's public comments about mediating the Kashmir situation have raised eyebrows in India, where officials are wary of any perceived equivalence between the two nations. Despite Pakistan's acknowledgment of US involvement in facilitating a ceasefire, India has consistently denied any third-party role in negotiations. Analysts suggest that while Trump's approach might be testing India’s diplomatic boundaries, it is premature to determine the impact on ongoing trade discussions between the two countries, especially as India seeks to secure beneficial terms before the expiration of a tariff pause in July. Modi's strong stance reflects India's commitment to treating Kashmir as an integral part of its territory, emphasizing the need for direct dialogue rather than external mediation efforts.
TruthLens AI Analysis
You need to be a member to generate the AI analysis for this article.
Log In to Generate AnalysisNot a member yet? Register for free.