Islamabad/New Delhi, September 17, 2025 – Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has acknowledged that India categorically rejected any third-party involvement during Operation Sindoor, reinforcing New Delhi’s long-held position that issues with Islamabad are strictly bilateral. His remarks stand in contrast to U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated assertions that he mediated between the two countries.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Dar said that during his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on July 25, he was told that India had made its stance clear.
“When I met Secretary Rubio on July 25 in Washington, I asked him about the status of dialogue between India and the U.S. over the conflict. Rubio replied that India said it is a bilateral issue,” Dar stated.
While noting that Pakistan did not object to external mediation, Dar underlined that India has consistently opposed third-party involvement.
“We don’t mind third-party involvement, but India has categorically been stating it’s a bilateral matter. We don’t mind bilateral either, but the dialogues must be comprehensive—on terrorism, trade, economy, Jammu and Kashmir, all subjects we have discussed earlier,” he told the channel.
Earlier this month, Dar admitted that it was Pakistan itself that requested a ceasefire after suffering losses from Indian strikes during Operation Sindoor.
“We did not ask the United States or any other country to arrange talks. The ceasefire request came from Pakistan,” he said in a separate media interaction.
BJP Targets Congress Over Trump’s Mediation Claim
Dar’s remarks sparked a strong political reaction in India. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of echoing Pakistan’s narrative by questioning the government over Trump’s mediation claims.
“There was no third-party mediation. Rahul Gandhi, listen carefully → Pakistan’s own Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told Al Jazeera that India categorically rejected any third-party ceasefire mediation. Stop peddling lies. Stop echoing Pakistan’s propaganda,” BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Trump’s Mediation Narrative
President Trump has repeatedly claimed that the May 10 ceasefire between India and Pakistan was the result of his personal intervention. Following the truce, he posted on his social media platform Truth Social:
“After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire. Congratulations to both countries.”
Since then, Trump has reiterated the claim more than 40 times, often citing it in discussions with European leaders and NATO officials as proof of his diplomatic prowess.
India, however, has consistently maintained that Washington played no role. Officials in New Delhi insist the ceasefire followed direct communication between India and Pakistan, after Indian strikes under Operation Sindoor targeted multiple terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
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