Jaishankar Rejects Trump's Claim on India-Pakistan Ceasefire Deal

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has firmly denied former U.S. President Donald Trump's recent claim that the 2021 ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan was achieved due to Trump’s mediation and trade negotiations. At a press conference, Jaishankar said that the decision to observe a ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) was purely the outcome of bilateral military discussions between India and Pakistan. "I was in the room when these decisions were made," Jaishankar said. "There was no involvement of any third party, nor were trade deals a factor." Trump had suggested during a campaign speech that the ceasefire was brokered by him as part of a broader effort to reduce global conflict, even hinting that trade incentives may have played a role. Jaishankar dismissed the claim as inaccurate and added that India has consistently maintained its position of resolving issues with Pakistan bilaterally, without third-party mediation. “Our security and diplomatic policies are not shaped by foreign pressure or negotiation,” he reiterated. The ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan was announced in February 2021, bringing a halt to months of escalating tensions and cross-border skirmishes.