'Force of Indian arms compelled Pakistan to seek ceasefire': India reiterates trade did not come up in talks with US during Operation Sindoor

NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs on Tuesday reiterated that the issue of trade did not come up during any talks with the United States while Operation Sindoor was underway and said "it was the force of Indian arms that compelled Pakistan to seek ceasefire." "From the time Operation Sindoor commenced on May 7 till the understanding on cessation of firing and military action on May 10, there were conversations between Indian and US leaders on the evolving military situation. The issue of trade did not come up in any of these discussions," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said thus rebutting the claims made by American President Donald Trump of how he had used the issue of trade as a leverage to broker ceasefire between India and Pakistan.The MEA spokesperson also reiterated that it was Pakistan which had approached India for ceasefire after it was rattled by the force of Indian strike at its air bases on the morning of May 10 and shared the timeline of phone calls that were made for ceasefire talks."The specific date, time, and wording of the understanding between the DGMOs of the two countries at their phone call on May 10, 2025 commenced at 15:35 Hrs. The request for this call was received by MEA from the Pakistani High Commission at 12:37 Hrs. The Pakistani side faced technical difficulties in connecting the hotline to the Indian side. The timing was then decided based on the availability of the Indian DGMO at 15:35 Hrs. Early on May 10, we did an extremely effective attack on key Pakistani Air Force bases. This was the reason they were now willing to stop firing and military actions,” Randhir Jaiswal said. India had made it clear earlier also that it was Pakistan DGMO (Director General of Military Operations) that had approached India for truce.On Monday, minutes before Prime Minister Modi made an address to the nation on Operation Sindoor, US President Donald Trump claimed that he used trade deal to make India and Pakistan agree for a ceasefire."I said. Come on, we're going to do a lot of trade with you guys. Let's stop it, let's stop it. If you stop it, we're doing trade. If you don't stop it, we're not going to do any trade. People have never really used trade the way I used it. By that, I can tell you, and all of a sudden they said. I think we're gonna stop, and they have," Trump had said.Earlier today, government sources had denied former US President Donald Trump's claims about using trade as leverage to broker peace between India and Pakistan amid heightened tensions.According to news agency PTI, discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US Vice President JD Vance made no mention of trade relations. "After Operation Sindoor commenced, Vice-President Vance spoke to the Prime Minister on May 9. Secretary of state Marco Rubio spoke to external affairs minister S Jaishankar on May 8 and May 10 and to NSA Ajit Doval on May 10. There was no reference to trade in any of these discussions," sources said.The Congress has questioned PM Modi on Donald Trump's claim, asking if the operation against Pakistan was stopped due to trade obligations and whether he had accepted American mediation on Kashmir.Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X, "The prime minister, his drumbeaters, and his apologists should answer. The prime minister's much-delayed address to the nation was completely upstaged by President Trump's revelations a few minutes earlier. The prime minister was completely silent on them. Has India agreed to US mediation? Has India agreed to a 'neutral site' for a dialogue with Pakistan? Will India now give in on US demands for opening Indian markets in autos, agriculture, and other areas?" Ramesh had asked.(With inputs from agencies)