Sending a clear and firm message to Washington, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told US President Donald Trump that India has never accepted—and will never accept—third-party mediation on the Kashmir issue.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the issue came up during the leaders’ 35-minute phone call late Tuesday.
“The Prime Minister clearly told President Trump that India’s position on third-party mediation has always been consistent—it is not needed, not desired, and will not be accepted,” Misri said.
The call marked the first direct conversation between the two leaders since the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and came as Prime Minister Modi updated Trump on Operation Sindoor, India’s targeted military response against terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
"India's response was measured, precise, and limited to terrorist infrastructure in Pak and PoK,” Misri added, underscoring New Delhi’s message of strategic restraint paired with operational clarity.
The conversation also aimed to set the record straight on recent claims by President Trump, who had suggested he played a role in brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. That narrative was firmly rejected by India.
"PM Modi told President Trump that the decision to pause military action under Operation Sindoor was taken after a direct request from Pakistan, communicated through established military channels. There was no U.S. involvement,” Misri stated."There were no backchannel talks or mediation on any ceasefire or the broader Kashmir issue,” he added. “India has never accepted mediation, does not accept it, and will never accept it.”
Prime Minister Modi also invited President Trump to visit India for the upcoming Quad summit, with both leaders discussing a range of pressing global issues including the Iran-Israel conflict, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, and growing strategic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
The phone call followed Modi’s strong remarks at the G7 Outreach Session in Canada, where he called for global unity against terrorism and condemned the double standards applied to terror threats. He reiterated that India now views acts of terrorism not as isolated or proxy actions, but as acts of war, deserving a proportionate and decisive response.
