Monitoring Desk
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has dismissed claims that the United States played a mediating role in the recent ceasefire between India and Pakistan, contradicting repeated assertions by former US President Donald Trump and recent acknowledgments by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
According to multiple Indian media reports on Tuesday, Misri told members of the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs that the decision to de-escalate hostilities with Pakistan was made bilaterally and without third-party intervention.
“New Delhi had routine talks with the US but there was no mediation,” Misri was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times, citing a senior lawmaker present during the in-camera session. The remarks were made during a three-hour meeting led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.
The foreign secretary claimed that the ceasefire proposal came from Pakistan and emphasized that the Indian government never engaged in formal negotiations with Washington over the matter.
Misri’s comments sharply contrast with statements from US President Trump, who publicly claimed at least seven times that his administration had helped avert a full-scale war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also recently praised Trump for his “sincere role” in preventing escalation and advocating peace.
Lawmakers on the panel questioned the government’s silence on Trump’s claims. “Trump publicly claimed at least seven times that he facilitated the ceasefire. Why was India silent?” one member asked, according to India Today. Another parliamentarian expressed concern over India “allowing Trump to seize the narrative.”
Sources cited by Press Trust of India (PTI) confirmed that Misri reiterated the government’s position that the ceasefire decision was taken solely between India and Pakistan.
Further addressing the recent confrontation, Misri ruled out any “nuclear signalling” from Pakistan. He stated that the entire conflict remained within the conventional military domain, despite earlier warnings from Defence Minister Khawaja Asif of an “all-out war.” Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also recently clarified that nuclear options were never considered.
When asked about reports that six Indian aircraft were downed by the Pakistan Air Force, Misri declined to provide details, citing national security concerns.
This was Foreign Secretary Misri’s first appearance before the 31-member parliamentary panel, where he fielded a broad range of questions about India’s military and diplomatic posture during the crisis.
