New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic talk with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday and told him in unequivocal terms that India has neither allowed nor will allow third party mediation in resolving the issue of illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistan (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir).
"PM Modi stressed India has never accepted mediation, and does not accept and will never accept it. There is complete political unanimity in India on this," Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.
The statement follows President Trump claiming credit for negotiating Operation Sindoor ceasefire and offering to mediate between India and Pakistan.
During the 35-minute conversation, the Prime Minister discussed Operation Sindoor and the issue of terrorism and said India had conveyed to the entire world its determination to act against terrorism.
Modi said terrorism is now viewed as a war and not proxy war and would respond to Pakistan’s bullet with a bullet. He was hinting at strikes at terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).
Talks on halting military action were held directly between India and Pakistan, through the existing channels at the request of Pakistan, Modi said.
Pointing out that Operation Sindoor had not concluded, Prime Minister Modi said that at no time were issues like mediation by the US to broker peace between India and Pakistan discussed. India has never accepted mediation and will never do so.
The telephone conversation between the two leaders took place while Prime Minister Modi is in Canada for the G7 Summit.
The Prime Minister told President Trump that India’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack was "measured" and only terrorist camps in Pakistan and POK were targeted. He said cessation of hostilities had been at the request of Pakistan.
The phone conversation took place because President Trump left the G7 Summit early and Prime Minister Modi and President Trump were likely to meet on the sidelines of the summit.
