Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri Says US Played No Role In India-Pakistan Ceasefire

In a detailed session with a parliamentary committee, Vikram Misri, India's Foreign Secretary, clarified that the ceasefire agreement with Pakistan had no involvement from the United States, countering claims about American mediation in the matter. This clarification came in response to inquiries made by some opposition members regarding US President Donald Trump's repeated claims of having played a pivotal role in ceasing hostilities between India and Pakistan. Misri emphasized that the ceasefire was a result of direct discussions between the two countries, devoid of any external influence.

During the meeting, Misri responded to concerns about President Trump's public statements, suggesting that Trump's decision to claim a central role in the ceasefire negotiations was made without India's consent. "Donald Trump did not take our permission to come to centre stage. He wanted to come to centre stage, so he came," Misri stated, firmly dismissing any notion of US involvement in the peace-making process.

Addressing Nuclear Concerns and Military Engagements

The Foreign Secretary also addressed queries about the nature of the conflict, reaffirming that the skirmish remained within the realm of conventional warfare, with no indications of nuclear threats from Pakistan. This statement was to allay fears of an escalation into nuclear conflict, highlighting that both nations maintained restraint in their military engagements.

Furthermore, Misri touched upon the military dynamics during the conflict, particularly in relation to Pakistan's use of Chinese-origin military hardware. He downplayed the significance of the equipment's origin, focusing instead on the effectiveness of India's retaliatory strikes on Pakistani airbases. However, when pressed for details regarding Indian aircraft losses, Misri refrained from providing specifics, citing national security reasons.

Clarifying India's Military Actions and Parliamentary Engagement

In another part of the discussion, the Foreign Secretary sought to clarify misconceptions surrounding a statement by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar regarding Operation Sindoor. Misri elucidated that Jaishankar's comments were meant to inform that India had targeted only terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir, aligning with India's stance against terrorism.

The meeting, led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, was attended by various political leaders, including Abhishek Banerjee from Trinamool, Congress' Rajeev Shukla and Deepender Hooda, AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi, and BJP's Aparajita Sarangi and Arun Govil. The gathering aimed to dissect the aftereffects of Operation Sindoor, India's military response to the Pahalgam attack, amidst the backdrop of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, both nuclear-capable nations.