Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking to former President Donald Trump via video. They outlined diametrically opposed visions of how the United States should intervene in the simmering conflict between India and Pakistan. Their previous negotiating session was in early May. This meeting came after a serious violent exchange between the two countries, initiated by an April 2016 suicide terror attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir that killed 26 Indian soldiers.
The escalation was marked when India staged an unprecedented retaliatory bombing deep inside Pakistan. This provocative action triggered a four-day military confrontation that increased the prospect of a wider war. Decades of hostility between India and Pakistan fueled the rising tensions, bringing the international community to immediate alarm and concern.
During their most recent tête-à-tête, it is evident that Modi expressed his displeasure with Trump’s claims of U.S. mediation. The Indian leader firmly stated, “India does not and will never accept mediation,” emphasizing India’s position on sovereignty in dealing with its neighbor. Meanwhile, Trump claimed that he had played a significant role in facilitating a ceasefire, stating outside the White House, “I stopped the war between Pakistan and India.”
The former president’s comments came after he hosted Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff for lunch at the White House, raising eyebrows regarding the U.S.’s diplomatic approach to South Asian conflicts. Trump’s insistence that the U.S. had contributed to peace measures was met with skepticism from Modi, who believed such claims undermined India’s agency in resolving its issues with Pakistan.
The two leaders find themselves presently at odds, a remarkable change from their once-friendly rapport. Now their plans for an in-person meeting at next month’s G7 summit in Canada have gone up in smoke. For one thing, Trump departed the summit a day early. The increasingly heated crisis between Israel and Hamas further soured a fraught diplomatic atmosphere.
Vikram Misri, India’s Deputy Ambassador to the U.S., echoed Modi’s sentiments, asserting there is “complete political consensus in India” regarding the rejection of any mediation by external parties. This position is part of a growing national sentiment prioritizing a hands-off approach to solving cross-border conflicts.
Trump had called Modi “a fantastic man,” showing camaraderie that crossed party lines and reflected a deep personal bond. Here’s what the ex-U.S. He was hoping to express gratitude to Modi for stopping the two countries from going to war and to discuss new trade deals between the two countries.