Trade pact, mediation never discussed amidst Operation Sindoor; ceasefire at Pak request: PM Modi tells Trump

In a 35-minute phone call with US President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Narendra Modi clarified that it was not trade that led to a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.

In a video message, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that PM Modi had a telephonic conversation with US President Donald Trump, which lasted around 35 minutes.

“A meeting was scheduled between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada. However, the US president had to return to the US in a hurry. As a result, this meeting could not happen,” Misri stated.

During the call, PM Modi told US President Trump that the ceasefire was announced after the armies of India and Pakistan spoke with each other through existing communication channels and at the request of Pakistan. Prime Minister Modi told Trump that India has never accepted third-party mediation and will not accept such mediation in the future, said Misri.

On April 22, after the Pahalgam terror attack, Trump had offered his deep condolences to PM Modi on the phone and expressed his support for India’s fight against terrorism. “After April 22, today’s call was the first conversation between the two leaders. That’s why during the discussion, PM Modi briefed President Trump about Operation Sindoor. PM Modi made it clear to Trump that after April 22, India has shown its resolve to fight terrorism. PM Modi said that during the intervening night of May 6 and May 7, India hit terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK),” said Misri, adding that India’s actions were precise, measured and non-escalatory. “India also made it clear that Pakistani bullets will be responded to by missiles from India.”

“On May 9, US Vice President JD Vance called PM Modi, warning that Pakistan could carry out a big attack on India. But PM Modi said if that happens, India will respond in a bigger way,” Misri said, referring to the phone conversation between the two leaders at the time.

“India gave a befitting reply to Pakistan on the night of May 9 and caused significant damage to Pakistan’s military assets, making their airbases inoperable. Following this, Pakistan urged India for a ceasefire,” Misri explained.

US President Trump understood the detailed account narrated by PM Modi and expressed support for India’s fight against terrorism, said Misri. “Furthermore, PM Modi emphasised that India will now treat acts of terrorism not as proxy actions but as acts of war. And that Operation Sindoor is still ongoing,” he said.

The two leaders also discussed the ongoing Israel-Iran war and the Russia-Ukraine war, said Misri.

US President Trump then asked PM Modi if he could visit the US on his return to India. But due to prior engagements, PM Modi expressed his inability to visit the US now, Misri said, adding that both leaders then decided to meet in the near future.

PM Modi then invited US President Donald Trump to visit India for the next Quad meeting. Accepting the invitation, President Trump said that he is excited to come to India, said Misri.