Government sources deny claims; parliamentary committee to discuss latest developments next week
“The U.S. didn’t just ‘broker’ the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, it averted a ‘nuclear conflict’,” said U.S. President Donald Trump in his latest claims, adding that he had threatened to stop trade with both countries unless they agreed to end hostilities.
The comments, the first statement the U.S. President has made in person at the White House on developments, were rebutted by Government sources, who said there had been “no reference to trade” during talks between Indian and U.S. officials over de-escalating the situation last week.
“I said [to the Indian and Pakistani leadership], let’s stop it. If you stop it, we’re doing trade. If you don’t stop it we’re not going to do any trade,” Mr. Trump told reporters at The White House on Monday (May 12, 2025) repeating some of the claims he had made over the weekend in social media posts, and added that trade was the “big” reason the two sides reached an understanding to stop military action against each other. He added that the U.S. is “negotiating with India” at present, disclosing for the first time that the U.S. planned to start negotiating on trade with Pakistan as well.
Government sources, however, denied the claim. The sources said that after the commencement of Operation Sindoor on May 7, U.S. Vice-President had spoken to PM Narendra Modi on May 9, while U.S. Secretary of State and NSA Marco Rubio spoke to External Affairs Minister on May 8 and to NSA Ajit Doval on May 10, when the ceasefire agreement was made. “There was no reference to trade in any of these discussions”.
Mr. Trump also said that U.S. officials had “stopped the nuclear conflict” between India and Pakistan. “I think it would have it could have been a bad nuclear war. Millions of people could have been killed, so I’m very proud of that,” the U.S. President said in his comments.
The controversial statements are likely to be raised by opposition MPs at the next parliamentary committee meeting on external affairs, expected to be held next Monday (May 19, 2025), when Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is expected to brief on the developments between India and Pakistan.
It is unclear whether Mr. Trump’s reference to a possible nuclear conflict was connected to widespread speculation about the impact of India’s airstrikes on May 10 on Pakistani air force bases on a suspected nuclear site in an area called the Kirana Hills near PAF’s Mushaf base in Sargodha. When asked about the reports, Air Marshal AK Bharti said that Indian forces did not know about the site. “We did not hit Kirana hills, whatever is there,” he added. However, the Government has not so far clarified on the record about Mr. Trump’s other contentions including the claim of mediation.
As The Hindu had reported, several former diplomats had criticised Mr. Trump’s comments, in two social media posts about the U.S.’s role in India-Pakistan talks, saying that they violate India’s principles against third-party mediation, hyphenation with Pakistan or internationalisation of internal issues.
On Monday (May 12, 2025), a number of opposition leaders also called on the Government to make its stand on the U.S.’s statements clear.
“By keeping quiet on these claims, the PM has failed to assure the people against American or third-party intervention in bilateral affairs concerning India and Pakistan,” said the CPM’s Dipankar Bhattacharya, who called for an “urgent parliament session” to discuss the issue.
Trump claims U.S. averted India-Pakistan ‘nuclear conflict’
Government sources deny claims; parliamentary committee to discuss latest developments next week
“The U.S. didn’t just ‘broker’ the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, it averted a ‘nuclear conflict’,” said U.S. President Donald Trump in his latest claims, adding that he had threatened to stop trade with both countries unless they agreed to end hostilities.
The comments, the first statement the U.S. President has made in person at the White House on developments, were rebutted by Government sources, who said there had been “no reference to trade” during talks between Indian and U.S. officials over de-escalating the situation last week.
“I said [to the Indian and Pakistani leadership], let’s stop it. If you stop it, we’re doing trade. If you don’t stop it we’re not going to do any trade,” Mr. Trump told reporters at The White House on Monday (May 12, 2025) repeating some of the claims he had made over the weekend in social media posts, and added that trade was the “big” reason the two sides reached an understanding to stop military action against each other. He added that the U.S. is “negotiating with India” at present, disclosing for the first time that the U.S. planned to start negotiating on trade with Pakistan as well.
Government sources, however, denied the claim. The sources said that after the commencement of Operation Sindoor on May 7, U.S. Vice-President had spoken to PM Narendra Modi on May 9, while U.S. Secretary of State and NSA Marco Rubio spoke to External Affairs Minister on May 8 and to NSA Ajit Doval on May 10, when the ceasefire agreement was made. “There was no reference to trade in any of these discussions”.
Mr. Trump also said that U.S. officials had “stopped the nuclear conflict” between India and Pakistan. “I think it would have it could have been a bad nuclear war. Millions of people could have been killed, so I’m very proud of that,” the U.S. President said in his comments.
The controversial statements are likely to be raised by opposition MPs at the next parliamentary committee meeting on external affairs, expected to be held next Monday (May 19, 2025), when Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is expected to brief on the developments between India and Pakistan.
It is unclear whether Mr. Trump’s reference to a possible nuclear conflict was connected to widespread speculation about the impact of India’s airstrikes on May 10 on Pakistani air force bases on a suspected nuclear site in an area called the Kirana Hills near PAF’s Mushaf base in Sargodha. When asked about the reports, Air Marshal AK Bharti said that Indian forces did not know about the site. “We did not hit Kirana hills, whatever is there,” he added. However, the Government has not so far clarified on the record about Mr. Trump’s other contentions including the claim of mediation.
As The Hindu had reported, several former diplomats had criticised Mr. Trump’s comments, in two social media posts about the U.S.’s role in India-Pakistan talks, saying that they violate India’s principles against third-party mediation, hyphenation with Pakistan or internationalisation of internal issues.
On Monday (May 12, 2025), a number of opposition leaders also called on the Government to make its stand on the U.S.’s statements clear.
“By keeping quiet on these claims, the PM has failed to assure the people against American or third-party intervention in bilateral affairs concerning India and Pakistan,” said the CPM’s Dipankar Bhattacharya, who called for an “urgent parliament session” to discuss the issue.
NO COMMENT