Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has contradicted U.S. President Donald Trump‘s account of mediating a ceasefire with Pakistan last month, according to an Indian statement released after a call between them.
India’s foreign ministry said Trump and Modi held a 35-minute call and that the Indian premier had invited the U.S. president to visit the world’s largest democracy and he had accepted the invitation.
Why It Matters
As India is the world’s most populous nation and a rising industrial power, the relationship is a crucial one for the United States and ties between Trump and Modi are cordial. In particular, India serves as an important counterweight to China in Asia and beyond.
It is important for India that the decision to end its confrontation with Pakistan last month was something that originated with its neighbor and nuclear rival and not as the result of any external mediation between the two parties.
What To Know
A statement from India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Trump and Modi held a call at the U.S. president’s request after his early departure from the G7 meeting in Canada, which Modi also attended.
A central topic was India’s Operation Sindoor attacks on targets in Pakistan, which were launched on May 7 after the April 22nd attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir. Pakistan rejected India’s accusations of involvement in the attack.
“Prime Minister Modi told President Trump in clear terms that after April 22, India had conveyed its determination to take action against terrorism to the whole world… India’s actions were very measured, precise, and non-escalatory. India had also made it clear that any act of aggression from Pakistan would be met with a stronger response.”
The statement said U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance had alerted Modi on May 9th to intelligence suggesting Pakistan was planning “a major attack.”
Trump took credit for India-Pakistan ceasefire
A ceasefire on May 10 ended the fighting after four days and at Trump has since taken credit for brokering peace.
In a post on Truth Social on Sunday he wrote: “Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal, just like I got India and Pakistan to make, in that case by using TRADE with the United States to bring reason, cohesion, and sanity into the talks with two excellent leaders who were able to quickly make a decision and STOP!”
But the foreign ministry statement said Modi had rejected any diplomatic role between India and Pakistan.
“Prime Minister Modi clearly conveyed to President Trump that at no point during this entire sequence of events was there any discussion, at any level, on… any proposal for a mediation by the U.S. between India and Pakistan… Prime Minister Modi firmly stated that India does not and will never accept mediation. There is complete political consensus in India on this matter.”
The statement said the ceasefire was negotiated directly through military channels at Pakistan’s request.
The leaders appeared to found common ground on broader global issues. President Trump “listened carefully” and “expressed his support towards India’s fight against terrorism.” Modi emphasized India now views terrorism “as a war itself,” noting Operation Sindoor “is still ongoing.”
Modi invited Trump to the next summit of the Quad countries, which also include Japan and Australia, in an alliance that counters China in the Indo-Pacific region.
“President Trump accepted the invitation and said that he is looking forward to visiting India,” Misri said in the statement.
What People Are Saying
U.S. President Donald Trump on May 12: “We stopped a nuclear conflict, I think it could have been a bad nuclear war, millions of people could have been killed, so I’m very proud of that.”
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri: “Prime Minister Modi firmly stated that India does not and will never accept mediation. There is complete political consensus in India on this matter.”
What Happens Next
The disagreement over whether or not mediation took place is unlikely to shake one of the world’s most important strategic relationships, which is taking on greater importance given the growing rivalry between the United States and China.
The post Indian Prime Minister Contradicts Trump appeared first on Newsweek.
