External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday firmly denied any involvement of the United States in the recent India-Pakistan ceasefire. Addressing the Lok Sabha during a discussion on Operation Sindoor, he dismissed claims of a phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former US President Donald Trump regarding the ceasefire. "There was no such phone call between PM Modi and Donald Trump between April 22 and June 17,” Jaishankar stated, refuting speculation about the US mediation. He also clarified that the ceasefire understanding was a result of direct communication between India and Pakistan, without any third-party involvement.
India demanded official DGMO communication
Jaishankar revealed in the Lok Sabha that following India's retaliatory strikes against Pakistan, the Indian government received phone calls suggesting Pakistan's willingness to halt further aggression. However, India stood firm on protocol and insisted that any such communication must come officially from Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO). "After we retaliated to the Pakistan attack, we got phone calls saying Pakistan was ready to stop, but we told them the request has to come from DGMO,” Jaishankar stated.
Indian diplomacy led to US ban on TRF
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Jaishankar also credited Indian diplomacy for the United States' decision to designate The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). He emphasised that it was due to sustained diplomatic efforts by India that the US formally recognised TRF's role in promoting terrorism and took strong action against it.
India exposed Pakistan's terror links
The External Affairs Minister also asserted that India has consistently worked to expose Pakistan's long-standing support for terrorism to the international community. He emphasised that New Delhi not only highlighted Islamabad's troubling history but also succeeded in revealing its "true face" to the world. Jaishankar underlined that India maintains a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism and has taken strong diplomatic steps to ensure that the global community understands Pakistan's role in sheltering and promoting terror outfits. "We told the world leaders our zero tolerance against terrorism. We have the right to defend," he added.
India's response will go beyond Op Sindoor
Jaishankar also made it clear in the Lok Sabha that India's response to terrorism originating from Pakistan will go far beyond Operation Sindoor. "India's response to terrorism emanating from across the border will not end with Operation Sindoor. We will take whatever action is necessary to protect our citizens and interests," he added. Reinforcing India's tough stance on national security, the External Affairs Minister confirmed that visa restrictions on Pakistani nationals will continue. "These measures are part of our broader strategy to deal with the threat of terrorism," he added.
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