India-Pakistan Ceasefire Was Achieved Through Direct Talks, Not Mediation: Jaishankar
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has stated that the recent ceasefire and de-escalation of military tensions between India and Pakistan were achieved through direct communication, without any third-party mediation. His remarks come just days after former U.S. President Donald Trump claimed credit for playing a significant role in reducing tensions between the two countries.
In an interview with Netherlands-based broadcaster NOS, Jaishankar emphasized that India had made it explicitly clear to the international community, including the United States, that if Pakistan wanted a ceasefire, it needed to communicate directly with Indian military leadership.
Jaishankar acknowledged that senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President J.D. Vance, had reached out during the tense period. Rubio personally spoke to Jaishankar, while Vance communicated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, Jaishankar made it clear that while diplomatic outreach from major powers is expected during such situations, India maintained a firm stance that any decision would be made through direct military dialogue.
When asked whether the two armies actually engaged in talks to end hostilities, Jaishankar confirmed:
“Yes, we have a mechanism to speak to each other via a military hotline. On May 10, the Pakistani Army sent a message expressing willingness to stop firing, and we responded accordingly.”
The ceasefire followed India’s strong military retaliation under Operation Sindoor, launched on April 22 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 innocent civilians.
On the question of America’s role in the ceasefire, Jaishankar said:
“Well, the U.S. was, of course, involved. Secretary Rubio and Vice President Vance had their conversations—with me and with our Prime Minister. They had their views and were also talking to the Pakistani side, as were some other countries, including a few in the Gulf region.”
Despite this, Jaishankar reiterated that the decisive action and outcome came from bilateral military communication—not from external mediation.
Stay updated with Latest International News in Hindi on Prabhasakshi