External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday firmly denied any linkage between trade and Operation Sindoor during conversations with the United States, stating that the request to halt military action came directly from Pakistan via the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) channel, reported the PTI.
During a special debate in the Lok Sabha on India`s strong, successful and decisive Operation Sindoor launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, Jaishankar asserted that the operation was necessary to send a clear message following the deadly strike in which 26 civilians lost their lives.
“Our red lines had been crossed, and we had to demonstrate that there would be serious consequences,” he said.
Jaishankar lauded the government’s diplomatic efforts, noting that of the 190 United Nations member states, only three – apart from Pakistan – opposed India’s military action.
“There was overwhelming global support recognising that a country under attack has the right to defend itself, and India was doing exactly that,” he said, according to the PTI.
He clarified that Operation Sindoor, launched on 7 May, was specifically aimed at terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
“Our response was focused, proportionate and non-escalatory, with a clear objective of holding those responsible for the attacks accountable,” he said, as per the PTI.
Jaishankar dismissed repeated claims made by former US President Donald Trump, who has asserted on several occasions that he used trade as leverage to bring about a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
“I want to make two points absolutely clear,” Jaishankar told the House. “Firstly, at no point during any dialogue with the United States was trade ever linked to Operation Sindoor. Secondly, there was no direct phone call between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump from 22 April – when Trump called to express sympathy – until 17 June, when the Prime Minister, then in Canada, explained why he could not meet him,” reported the PTI.
He revealed that the ceasefire understanding with Pakistan came only after Pakistan, through the DGMO channel, formally requested a halt in hostilities. This followed international indications that Pakistan was ready for a ceasefire.
Jaishankar also highlighted the strategic steps taken by the government after the Pahalgam attack. He said the Cabinet Committee on Security decided to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty until Pakistan withdraws its support for terrorism. Other diplomatic measures were also initiated to shape global understanding of Pakistan’s role in the attack, as per the PTI.
“Our aim was to expose Pakistan’s long-standing support for terrorism and show how the Pahalgam attack targeted Jammu and Kashmir’s economy and sought to incite communal tensions,” he said.
The government’s messaging, both internationally and domestically, focused on two core themes: zero tolerance for terrorism and India’s sovereign right to defend its citizens.
Jaishankar’s response came after Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi criticised the government over Trump’s claim, repeated “26 times,” that trade pressure was used to broker peace between India and Pakistan. The Congress party has been pressing the government to address Trump’s statements more directly.
India has consistently maintained that the ceasefire agreement with Pakistan was the result of military-level communication, not foreign mediation. Following intense cross-border drone and missile exchanges, India and Pakistan agreed on 10 May to cease hostilities after four days of confrontation.
(with PTI inputs)