India Rejects US Influence in Operation Sindoor Ceasefire, Signals Trade Retaliation

 New Delhi,  – India has firmly dismissed claims of U.S. influence in its decision to pause hostilities with Pakistan under Operation Sindoor, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Monday, May 12. Without directly mentioning the United States, Modi emphasized that India’s actions were independent of third-party intervention, countering assertions by U.S. President Donald Trump. The Opposition, meanwhile, has seized on Trump’s remarks to criticize the government’s handling of the situation.

On May 10, Trump announced a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, preempting official statements from both nations. He later claimed on Monday—prior to Modi’s address—that he had warned both countries of trade consequences if hostilities persisted, stating, “If you stop it, we’re doing trade. If you don’t stop it, we’re not going to do any trade… and all of a sudden they said, I think we’re gonna stop.” However, Indian government sources swiftly refuted these claims, noting that trade was not discussed during three U.S. engagements on May 9 and 10. U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance spoke with Modi on May 9, followed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s conversations with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on May 10, all focused solely on de-escalation.

Modi remained resolute during his call with Vance, rejecting any leniency for Pakistan and warning of a “devastating response” to continued aggression—a promise fulfilled on May 10 morning with missile strikes on a dozen Pakistani air bases. Jaishankar and Doval similarly rebuffed Rubio’s suggestion of Pakistan’s readiness to halt military action, insisting that Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) communicate directly with India. Modi later highlighted in his address that Pakistan, reeling from heavy losses, initiated contact via its DGMO on the afternoon of May 10, pledging to cease terror activities and military provocations, a move India considered independently of U.S. mediation. He also rejected Trump’s offer to mediate on Kashmir, stating, “The only talk with Pakistan will be on terror and PoK.”

Amid these diplomatic developments, India proposed retaliatory duties under World Trade Organization (WTO) norms on Tuesday, targeting U.S. tariffs on Indian steel and aluminium. A WTO communication estimated that these measures would impact $7.6 billion in U.S. imports from India, with a duty collection of $1.91 billion. This move comes ahead of an anticipated India-U.S. trade deal by fall 2025, which both nations had previously described as making “excellent progress” during Vance’s visit to India.