India disputes Trump's mediation claims in Pakistan talks
India challenges Donald Trump's claims about his key role in mediating with Pakistan. Delhi denies that trade issues were discussed in the talks about a ceasefire. The US reportedly threatened sanctions, but according to India, such topics did not arise at all.
What do you need to know?
- India questions the American version of events: Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Randhir Jaiswal, denied that economic issues were discussed during the negotiations with Pakistan.
- Trump claims his mediation was crucial: The US President talked about increasing trade exchanges as an incentive to reach an agreement.
- Tensions in the region: The armed conflict between India and Pakistan began on 7 May after attacks in Kashmir.
How is India responding to US claims?
As reported by The New York Times on Wednesday, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal denied that any economic issues were discussed during the talks preceding the ceasefire. Trump, who announced the agreement on Saturday, later explained that a proposal to increase trade exchanges with India and Pakistan was part of his negotiations.
According to the American side, Trump also warned that if both sides do not reach an agreement, the United States might freeze trade. Jaiswal denied these reports, stating that the talks were solely about military issues and did not include trade matters.
Experts cited by NYT indicate that Delhi is disappointed with the way the talks were conducted by the American president. His stance of neutrality is particularly criticised, which – according to Indian politicians – equates the responsibility of both sides in the conflict, ignoring the fact that Pakistan was responsible for the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April, which directly triggered the escalation of tensions.
An analysis by NYT suggests that some Indian government elites fear they may be accused of yielding to foreign pressures and halting the fight before achieving a military victory over a weaker opponent. India was hoping for closer ties with the US, among other reasons, to counterbalance Pakistan's alliance with China. As noted by the newspaper, Delhi may have been overly optimistic in assuming that Washington would unequivocally support India and sever its ties with Islamabad.
Foreign policy expert Indrani Bagchi, writing in The New York Times, observed that while the United States and China may be global competitors, their interests converge in Pakistan—and that dynamic remains unchanged.
The attack in Kashmir as the cause of the conflict
The current escalation of the Indo-Pakistani conflict began on 7 May, when India conducted airstrikes on targets in Pakistan in response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, in Indian Kashmir, which killed 26 people. Islamabad firmly denied involvement in the attack, and in response to the Indian military action, Pakistani forces conducted their own strikes on Indian territory. The confrontation between the two nuclear-armed nations raised international concern.
The dispute over Kashmir has remained unresolved since India and Pakistan gained independence in 1947, following the dissolution of British India.
