PM Modi speaks with US President Donald Trump on phone – ‘India has never accepted third-party mediation’
In the phone conversation with US President Donald Trump that lasted 35 minutes, PM Modi asserted India's long-standing position against third-party mediation in its relations with Pakistan, emphasising that terrorism will now be treated as acts of war.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on 18 June that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump that lasted approximately 35 minutes.
Misri said the two leaders were scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit, but the meeting could not happen because President Trump had to leave the Summit in Canada early.
“President Trump had spoken to PM Modi after the Pahalgam terror attack once. Today's call was a first conversation between the two leaders after that,” Misri said.
The phone call comes hours before US President Donald Trump's lunch meeting with Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir.
Earlier, PM Modi reiterated India's stand against terrorism while thanking global leaders for condemning the Pahalgam terror attack. In his address at the Outreach Session during the 51st G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada, PM Modi also urged the leaders to galvanise global action against terrorism and underlined the need to take strict action against those who promote and support terrorism.
The G7 summit was the first multilateral event attended by Modi after the conclusion of Operation Sindoor – India's precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan last month, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists, in the popular hill station of Jammu and Kashmir.
Briefed President Trump on Operation Sindoor
The Foreign Secretary said that PM Modi briefed President Trump about Operation Sindoor. Misri said PM Modi clarified that no topics related to trade were discussed in connection with Operation Sindoor.
PM Modi also reiterated that India has never accepted third-party mediation and will not accept such mediation in the future. Furthermore, PM Modi emphasised that India will now treat acts of terrorism not as proxy actions but as acts of war, the Foreign Secretary said.
“PM Modi told President Trump clearly that during this entire series of incidents, never were talks held at any level on an India-America trade deal and mediation between India and Pakistan by America. The talks regarding cessation of military action were held directly between India and Pakistan under the existing channels established between both militaries; it was done at Pakistan's request.” Misri was heard saying in the video shared by Doordarshan.
Trump's mediation claims
PM Modi's assertion comes after Trump's repeated assertions that he played a key role in mediating the India-Pakistan ceasefire understanding after four days of military actions in the aftermath of the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack.
Trump claimed that India and Pakistan had agreed to a ‘full and immediate’ ceasefire following a ‘long night of talks’ mediated by the United States. Minutes later, the ceasefire was confirmed by both India's Ministry of External Affairs and the foreign ministry in Pakistan.
India has, however, contradicted Trump's claim and said that the two nations' ‘understanding’ was reached after talks between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan.
President Trump invited PM Modi to meet during his current visit to the USA, but due to a pre-existing schedule, PM Modi was unable to accept the invitation. Both leaders agreed to meet in the near future, Misri said.