India’s Response to Trump’s Ceasefire Claims: No Formal Mediation Involved
New Delhi: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertion that he played a key role in brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Tharoor, who is set to lead an all-party MPs delegation in the United States, emphasized that no formal process of mediation was either requested or conducted by any third party.
Tharoor stated that the Indian government has consistently communicated its position to world leaders, including foreign ministers of various countries, regarding its actions against Pakistan. He reiterated that during any crisis, there is always contact with the relevant countries, but that no formal mediation was involved.
“You’re aware of our government’s stand very clearly. During any crisis, there’s always contact with those countries that call and reach out. We have taken the same line everywhere. There’s been no formal process of mediation, either requested or conducted. You call me, I tell you what I’m doing and why I’m doing it, and that’s it. Then if you want to go and repeat that to somebody else and they take certain consequences as a result of that, is that called mediation? I don’t think so. Not in my vocabulary,” Tharoor said.
He added that India has always maintained a constructive dialogue with other countries during crises. The Indian foreign minister, if he remembers correctly, shared every call with other foreign ministers on his Twitter account. Many foreign ministers around the world have contacted him, expressing concern and asking what’s going on. India has given a consistent message to all of them.
Trump has been claiming credit for playing a key role in brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor and Pakistan’s failed bid to launch an offensive. Trump claimed that the understanding between India and Pakistan came through trade talks.
“If you take a look at what we just did with Pakistan and India. We settled that whole issue, and I think I settled it through trade,” Trump said. He added, “And I said, ‘What are you guys doing?’ Somebody had to be the last one to shoot. But the shooting was getting worse and worse, bigger and bigger, deeper and deeper into the countries. And we spoke to them, and I think we, you know, I hate to say we got it settled, and then two days later, something happens, and they say it’s Trump’s fault.”
The recent pause in hostilities followed India’s ‘Operation Sindoor,’ launched in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 civilians. The operation targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), leading to clashes, including Pakistan’s drone attempts on Indian cities near the border and shelling along the Line of Control (LoC).
Earlier, before India officially announced any agreement on stopping military action, Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social, saying, “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both countries on using common sense and great intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Meanwhile, the all-party delegation, led by Tharoor, is going to the United States as part of New Delhi’s global outreach to highlight its new approach towards terrorism sponsored by Pakistan and to explain the rationale behind Operation Sindoor, which targeted terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Islamabad.
The Tharoor-led delegation will also travel to Guyana, Colombia, Panama, and Brazil. The delegation comprises Shambhavi (LJP-RV), Sarfaraz Ahmed (JMM), GM Harish Balayogi (TDP), Shashank Mani Tripathi (BJP), Bhubaneshwar Kalita (BJP), Milind Deora (Shiv Sena), Tejasvi Surya (BJP), and former diplomat Taranjit Sandhu.