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Jaishankar Responds to Trump's Assertions

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has countered assertions made by former US President Donald Trump regarding the use of trade to compel India and Pakistan into a ceasefire. Jaishankar clarified that he was present during a phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US Vice President JD Vance on May 9, where critical discussions took place.

In a conversation with Newsweek, Jaishankar recounted that Vance warned PM Modi about a potential large-scale attack from Pakistan unless certain conditions were met. He noted that Modi indicated India would respond decisively. Following this, Jaishankar confirmed that Pakistan did indeed launch a significant assault that night, prompting a swift response from India. The next day, he received a call from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who conveyed Pakistan's readiness to engage in dialogue.

When questioned about whether Trump's claims regarding trade negotiations had impacted discussions between the two nations, Jaishankar stated, 'No, I don’t think so. The trade representatives are focused on their negotiations, dealing with figures and products professionally.'

Jaishankar emphasized that India's stance on relations with Pakistan has been consistent over the years, rooted in a national consensus that such dealings should be bilateral. He reiterated that during the May 9 call, PM Modi remained resolute against Pakistan's threats, indicating a firm response was forthcoming. The following morning, after the Pakistani attack, Rubio reached out to discuss the possibility of talks.

Despite India's firm denials, Trump has persistently claimed credit for facilitating peace between the two nations following India's Operation Sindoor. On May 10, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that the Director General of Military Operations from Pakistan had contacted his Indian counterpart, leading to an agreement to halt all military actions across land, air, and sea.

The situation escalated significantly as Pakistan retaliated against India's Operation Sindoor by deploying drones. India effectively countered this aggression, targeting Pakistani airbases. Operation Sindoor, initiated by the Indian Armed Forces on May 7, aimed at nine terrorist locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, in response to a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22 that resulted in 26 fatalities.