PM Modi and Donald Trump phone call: In a firm diplomatic exchange, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told US President Donald Trump that India has never accepted, and will never accept, any form of third-party mediation on the Kashmir issue. This strong reaffirmation came during a 35-minute phone call late Tuesday while PM Modi was in Canada for the G7 Summit.
The conversation occurred against the backdrop of renewed geopolitical maneuvering in South Asia, and just hours before President Trump’s scheduled meeting with Pakistan’s Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir in Washington.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, in a media briefing early Wednesday, confirmed the content and context of the call. He said, “PM Modi emphasized India’s consistent position that the Jammu and Kashmir issue is a bilateral matter and that mediation—whether offered or implied—is neither desired nor warranted. There is complete political unanimity on this across all parties in India.”
The trigger for this clarification appears to be President Trump’s repeated public claims of playing a role in negotiating the ceasefire following Operation Sindoor—India’s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which New Delhi has attributed to Pakistan-sponsored elements.
“India’s action under Operation Sindoor was precise and targeted exclusively at terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pak-occupied Kashmir,” Mr. Modi reportedly told President Trump, according to the Foreign Secretary. The Prime Minister stressed that the operation was far from over and that India views terrorism not as a proxy war, but as a direct and declared war.
Direct Communication with Pakistan
Contrary to Trump’s statements that implied his involvement in halting hostilities, PM Modi clarified that any discussions related to ceasefire took place directly between Indian and Pakistani military channels. In fact, he said that it was Pakistan that had requested the cessation of hostilities, highlighting the effectiveness of India’s assertive counter-terrorism stance.
Furthermore, PM Modi debunked any notion that the India-US trade deal or tariff threats had anything to do with the de-escalation of military activity. “There was no correlation between the military operations and any trade-related dialogue,” Misri added.
Trump’s Planned Meeting with Pak Army Chief Raises Eyebrows
The phone conversation gained additional weight due to its timing—just ahead of Trump’s first official meeting with Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir since the Pahalgam attack. Scheduled to take place in the White House’s Cabinet Room at 1 PM ET (10:30 PM IST), the meeting has raised strategic concerns in New Delhi, especially with rising tensions between Iran and Israel, a conflict that could potentially draw Pakistan—and by extension, the US—into a broader regional confrontation.
While the US maintains that the visit is primarily bilateral and strategic in nature, India’s reiteration of its red lines ahead of that meeting underscores its vigilance on global alliances and their implications in the subcontinent.
Trump’s Invite Declined
During the call, President Trump extended an invitation to PM Modi to stop over in the US after the G7 Summit. However, PM Modi declined the offer due to prior commitments, and the call was positioned as a substitute for an in-person discussion that could not take place in Canada due to Trump’s early departure from the summit.
Foreign Secretary Misri noted that President Trump had “lauded India’s handling of the Pahalgam attack” and recognized its global diplomatic efforts in garnering support against terrorism through multi-party delegations sent worldwide.
India’s Message to Pakistan: No Talks Without Action
The tone of PM Modi’s statements aligns with his earlier remarks on May 12, following the initial Operation Sindoor ceasefire. At that time, he had categorically stated that there would be no dialogue with Pakistan unless it involved the dismantling of terrorist infrastructure and the return of illegally occupied Indian territory.
“If we ever talk to Pakistan, it will be only on terrorism and PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir),” he had declared.
Conclusion
This latest development marks yet another decisive moment in India’s foreign policy under Modi’s leadership. With Pakistan attempting to internationalize the Kashmir issue and the US navigating its own strategic priorities, India has drawn a firm line in the sand.
As global power dynamics continue to shift and tensions brew across regions, New Delhi’s clarity on Kashmir and terrorism leaves little room for misinterpretation—by friends or foes alike.
