In Parliament Jaishankar Refutes Claims Linking Trade to Ceasefire
In his address to Parliament on Monday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar firmly denied that the recent ceasefire between India and Pakistan involved any trade-linked negotiations with the United States. He clarified that during the entire period—from April 22, the day of the Pahalgam terror attack, until June 17—no trade discussions took place and there was no phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump.
India Acted Independently
Jaishankar reiterated that the decision to halt military action was reached through direct bilateral communication between the two countries’ military leadership. The Pakistani military reportedly reached out through its Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) channel to suggest a truce. India insisted that any request for ceasefire must come formally through DGMO channels.
Operation Sindoor and India’s New Strategy
He described India’s response to cross-border attacks—termed Operation Sindoor—as a shift to a “new normal” approach. The doctrine emphasized five key principles: terrorists will not be treated as proxies; cross-border terrorism will face an appropriate response; terror and negotiations cannot coincide; India will not yield to nuclear pressure; and humanitarian cooperation cannot coexist with terrorism.
Domestic and International Messaging
In his Lok Sabha speech, Jaishankar noted that multiple foreign governments had approached India following the Pahalgam attack, sharing an impression that Pakistan was ready to stop fighting. However, Indian diplomacy clarified that no mediation was accepted—India independently pursued its national response.
Government Rejection of U.S. Mediation Claims
These statements come in response to repeated claims by President Trump that he used the prospect of U.S. trade with both countries as leverage to prevent war. The government has consistently rejected such assertions, affirming that India’s ceasefire decision was neither mediated nor influenced by external trade threats.
