No call took place between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi between April 22 and June 17, said external affairs minister S Jaishankar in the Lok Sabha on Monday, while debating Operation Sindoor.
Response to US Claim on Ceasefire and Trade Offer
Jaishankar was responding to questions on the Indian military operation, one of which was Trump’s assertion of intervening and making use of trade offers in order to make India and Pakistan agree on a ceasefire understanding.
“I want to make two things very clear. One, at no stage in any conversation with the United States was there any linkage with trade and what was going on,” Jaishankar said in Lok Sabha on Monday.
“Secondly, there was no call between the Prime Minister [Modi] and President Trump from the 22nd of April when President Trump called up to convey his sympathy and the 17th of June, when he called up Prime Minister [Modi] in Canada to explain why he could not meet,” Jaishankar added.
Operation Sindoor: India’s Retaliatory Action
India also carried out military attacks under Operation Sindoor on May 7, after the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 26 people, the majority of whom were civilians, were killed by terrorists.
Operation Sindoor initiated a large-scale military conflict between Pakistan and India, with the latter’s attempts at sending drones and missiles into Indian territory being unsuccessful.
The military conflict lasted four days before DGMO of Pakistan contacted his Indian counterpart to agree on a ceasefire.
Although Donald Trump has consistently taken credit for the India-Pakistan ceasefire understanding, attributing it to trade offers, India has insisted that the cessation of violence on May 10 resulted from direct communication between the DGMOs of both countries.
“This contact was initiated by the Pakistani side,” India has said.
Rajnath Singh Speaks on Operation Sindoor in Parliament
Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Monday initiated the debate regarding Operation Sindoor in Parliament, announcing that India finished the strikes on May 7 in 22 minutes and further clarifying that the operation was only suspended and not concluded.
Rajnath Singh said in the Lok Sabha that Operation Sindoor was “paused” as the armed forces had achieved the desired politico-military objectives and asserted that there was “no pressure” to end it.
If Pakistan goes on a new misadventure, it will again be resumed, Rajnath Singh stated during his initial speech on the special debate on Pahalgam terror attacks and Operation Sindoor in the lower house.
He stated the armed forces remain constantly on their toes to guard India’s borders and the military action was a successful and well-orchestrated attack on nine terror hubs. Seven terror camps were completely demolished and India has evidence of the damage that was inflicted within PoK and Pakistan, Singh informed the House.
