Never discussed trade or US mediation during Op Sindoor: PM Modi to Trump

The Indian PM told Trump that India acted independently in halting hostilities with Pakistan and does not accept foreign mediation; Trump insisted he "stopped the war"

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday sought to set the record straight on US President Donald Trump’s assertions about his pivotal role in defusing the conflict between India and Pakistan, including claims that he had brokered the understanding between the two nuclear-armed neighbours by threatening to halt trade with them.

 

Hours later, Trump reiterated to reporters that he was instrumental in bringing peace between India and Pakistan.

 

In a 35-minute phone call, Trump also enquired if Modi could stop over in the US after attending the G7 Summit in Canada’s Kananaskis. The prime minister declined, citing prior commitments. 

 

 

Modi “conveyed” to the American president that India and Pakistan halted military action on May 10 following direct talks between their respective militaries, initiated at Islamabad’s request, and without US mediation. He told Trump at no point there was a discussion at any level about a trade deal between India and the US after May 7, when India conducted strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan, including its airbases.

 

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Modi told Trump that no proposal for mediation by the US was discussed, and reaffirmed India’s longstanding position of not accepting third-party intervention in matters related to Pakistan. 

 

The prime minister firmly stated that India does not and will “never accept” mediation, and that there is complete political consensus in the country on this matter, Misri said.

 

However, Trump later reiterated that he “stopped the war” between India and Pakistan, and stated a trade deal with India was forthcoming. Trump was scheduled to host Pakistan Army Chief Syed Asim Munir at the White House and described him as “extremely influential in stopping it (India-Pakistan conflict) from the Pakistani side.”

 

“I love Pakistan. I think Modi is a fantastic man. I spoke to him last night (Wednesday morning IST). We're going to make a trade deal with Modi of India. But I stopped the war between Pakistan and India,” he said.

 

On May 10, Trump posted on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire after a “long night” of US-mediated talks. Since then, he has repeated the claim multiple times, saying Washington “helped settle” the situation and told both countries the US would boost trade if they halted hostilities. Trump also claimed he told the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours that the US will do a “lot of trade” with them if they stopped the conflict.

 

Misri said Trump “listened carefully” to Modi’s remarks and expressed support for India’s counter-terrorism efforts. Modi said terrorism was no longer viewed as a proxy war but as a war in itself, and briefed Trump on Operation Sindoor, which is still ongoing.

 

Both leaders agreed to make efforts to meet soon. Misri said a meeting between the two leaders was planned on the sidelines of the G7 Summit but didn’t take place as Trump returned to the US early. But “at the request of President Trump”, both spoke over a phone call on Wednesday, the foreign secretary said.

 

Wednesday’s call was the first since Trump extended condolences to Modi following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Modi provided details of Operation Sindoor during the call.

 

The Indian leader said strikes on May 6–7 targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. He described the operations as measured, precise, and non-escalatory. Modi also noted that US Vice President J D Vance called him on May 9 to warn of a potential Pakistani offensive. Modi said he had conveyed to Vance that any such action would be met with an even stronger response.

 

On the night of May 9–10, India responded decisively to Pakistani military actions, damaging airbases and rendering them inoperable. Modi told Trump that Pakistan requested a cessation of military operations after this. The leaders also discussed the Israel-Iran and Russia-Ukraine conflicts. Modi invited Trump to attend the upcoming Quad Summit in India, which the US President accepted. 

 

Modi at G7 Outreach

 

Addressing the G7 Outreach Summit, Modi said there should be no “double standards” in counter-terrorism efforts. He questioned whether nations that foster terrorism and those that suffer from it should be judged by the same standard.

 

He said India's neighbourhood has become a breeding ground for terrorism and turning a blind eye towards the challenge would be a “betrayal of humanity”, and sought action against Pakistan for its support to cross-border terrorist activities.

 

"For the sake of global peace and prosperity, our thinking and our policies must be extremely clear -- any country that supports terrorism must be held accountable and made to pay the price," he said.

 

Modi said the reality is quite the opposite. "On the one hand, we are quick to impose various sanctions based on our own preferences and interests. On the other hand, nations that openly support terrorism continue to be rewarded," he added.

 

On energy security, the PM said the countries of the Global South are having to bear the maximum impact of uncertainty and conflicts.” No matter where the tension is in the world, these countries are the first to be affected by food, fuel, fertiliser and financial crises,” Modi said.

 

He added that masses, materials, manufacturing, and mobility also get impacted.

 

The prime minister underlined the need for securing and strengthening the resilience of supply chains. "We must also ensure that no country uses them solely for its own interests or as a weapon. Thirdly, deep-fakes are a major cause for concern, as they can create widespread disorder in society," he said. "Therefore, AI-generated content must be clearly water-marked or accompanied by a clear disclosure.”