External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, while addressing the ongoing controversy surrounding Operation Sindoor and claims of U.S. mediation in the India-Pakistan ceasefire, reiterated that there has been no external interference during the military operation. Aimed at the opposition, Jaishankar said, “Woh kaan kholke sun le, 22 April se 16 June tak, ek bhi phone call President Trump aur Prime Minister Modi ke beech mein nahi hua,” emphasizing that no communication took place between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S President Donald Trump during the critical period of the operation. This statement came during a heated debate on India’s military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians.
Jaishankar reiterated that Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, was a strategic and resolute response to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). He clarified that the operation was not influenced by external mediation, particularly refuting Trump’s claims of brokering a ceasefire through trade leverage. “At no stage in any conversation with the United States was there any linkage with trade,” Jaishankar asserted, dismissing speculations that India’s actions were swayed by foreign pressure.
The minister highlighted the global support for India’s stance, noting that only three countries, apart from Pakistan, opposed Operation Sindoor among the 193 UN member states. He credited India’s diplomatic efforts for securing widespread condemnation of the Pahalgam attack, including from major powers like the U.S., France, and Germany, as well as groups like the Quad and BRICS. Jaishankar also pointed out that The Resistance Front (TRF), responsible for the attack, was designated a global terrorist organisation due to India’s persistent diplomacy.
In his address, Jaishankar outlined a “new normal” in India’s fight against cross-border terrorism, emphasising five key principles: treating terrorists as direct threats rather than proxies, delivering swift responses to terror acts, rejecting talks alongside terrorism, resisting nuclear blackmail, and ensuring that good neighbourliness cannot coexist with violence. “Blood and water cannot flow together,” he said, referencing the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty as part of India’s countermeasures.
The opposition, led by Congress, questioned the government’s transparency regarding Operation Sindoor, with leaders like Rahul Gandhi alleging that India’s actions were compromised by premature communication with Pakistan. Jaishankar called these accusations “dishonest” and a misrepresentation of facts, clarifying that any communication with Pakistan occurred only after the operation’s commencement to warn against military interference. He also criticised past Congress-led governments for their inaction against terrorism, contrasting it with the Modi government’s decisive approach.
On Monday, July 28, Jaishankar had addressed similar concerns in the Lok Sabha, where he detailed India’s diplomatic outreach post-Pahalgam, including 27 calls at his level and nearly 20 at Modi’s. He highlighted the operation’s success, noting that seven terror camps were destroyed, and over 100 terrorists were neutralised, as per Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s remarks. The Lok Sabha debate saw fiery exchanges, with the opposition demanding clarity on the ceasefire’s terms and the government accusing them of undermining national unity.
Meanwhile President Trump, for the thirtieth time, claimed that he ended the war between India and Pakistan. While speaking with the media when asked about new trade tariffs for India, he said “India is my friend and it was great to they stopped the war with Pakistan on my request…Its nice that I stopped five different wars but do you think I will credit for that…I won’t but will I like…I will”
