Daijiworld Media Network- Washington
Washington, Jun 11: Despite India’s consistent stand against third-party involvement in the Kashmir dispute, the United States has once again stirred diplomatic waters. At a routine press briefing in Washington on Tuesday, US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce reignited President Donald Trump’s earlier claims of mediation in the Indo-Pak conflict over Kashmir—remarks that New Delhi has firmly dismissed on multiple occasions.
Responding to a media query about Trump’s past offer to mediate between India and Pakistan, Bruce remarked, “It shouldn’t surprise anyone that he’d want to manage something like that.” While refraining from confirming any current initiative, Bruce praised Trump’s diplomatic approach, stating, “President Trump has shown a willingness to bring even the most unlikely parties to the negotiating table.”
However, India wasted no time in reiterating its longstanding position. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated firmly, “Any issues related to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are to be addressed bilaterally between India and Pakistan. Our position remains unchanged.”
Jaiswal also reminded the international community of the foundational principles laid down in the 1972 Tashkent Agreement, which established that all Indo-Pak matters would be resolved through direct bilateral dialogue without external intervention.
The controversy deepened as Bruce also repeated the claim—originally made by Trump—that the United States played a role in brokering a ceasefire during last month’s brief military flare-up between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. She attributed the de-escalation to the diplomatic efforts of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance, praising what she called a “bold American role.”
India, however, has flatly rejected these assertions. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, addressing a Parliamentary Committee, clarified that the ceasefire was the result of India’s superior military strategy, not foreign diplomacy.
“It was Operation Sindoor that dealt a decisive blow to Pakistan’s aggression. Our forces launched a successful strike on key Pakistani air bases early on May 10, which led to their willingness to halt further hostilities,” Jaiswal elaborated.
He asserted that it was India's military might—not any so-called foreign intervention—that prompted the cessation of firing, further underlining New Delhi’s self-reliant defense posture.
When asked about recent meetings between Pakistan’s delegation led by former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and US Under Secretary for Political Affairs Allison Hooker, Bruce declined to offer any insight. “I am not going to discuss the details of those conversations,” she said, adding to the opacity surrounding Washington’s role in South Asia’s fragile geopolitics.
As Washington continues to walk a diplomatic tightrope, India remains unwavering in its stance that Kashmir is an internal and bilateral issue—one where unsolicited mediation, no matter how well-meaning, is neither welcome nor necessary.