India denies US mediation in ceasefire with Pakistan
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has clarified that the United States played no role in facilitating the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, as reported by Indian media on Tuesday.
This assertion contradicts repeated claims made by former US President Donald Trump, who had publicly taken credit for helping de-escalate tensions between the two South Asian neighbors. Trump had even received acknowledgment from then-Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for what was perceived as a diplomatic effort.
Speaking at a meeting of the Indian Parliament's Committee on External Affairs—chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor—Misri reportedly stated that the ceasefire proposal originated from Pakistan and was handled bilaterally, without involvement from any third country, according to the Hindustan Times, which cited an unnamed senior lawmaker present at the session.
In response to lawmakers’ queries about Trump’s remarks that the US had assisted in resolving issues between India and Pakistan, Misri clarified: “New Delhi was in regular communication with Washington, but there was no mediation.”
This meeting marked Misri's first appearance before the 31-member parliamentary committee. It lasted over three hours, during which the foreign secretary fielded a wide range of questions from legislators.
Separately, the Press Trust of India, citing sources, reported that Misri reaffirmed the Indian government's stance: the decision to halt military engagements was made bilaterally, with no external intervention.
Committee members also questioned Misri on why the Indian government had not publicly rebutted Trump’s claims of brokering the ceasefire. However, the Hindustan Times reported that Misri did not provide a response to those specific concerns, according to the unnamed lawmaker.
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