Senior Indian officials on Tuesday dismissed US President Donald Trump’s claim that his administration single-handedly brokered a ceasefire between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan, who of late have engaged in armed conflict across their shared border.
The officials further suggested India had briefed all key partners, including its fellow Quad members, about its military actions against “terror bases” in Pakistan.
Beijing has long opposed the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue – an informal strategic forum comprising the US, India, Australia and Japan aimed at upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific – which sees the bloc as trying to counter its influence in the region and fanning “artificial tensions”. China is an ally of Pakistan.
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Though not a formal alliance, the Quad holds regular joint military exercises, and its members collaborate on shared security interests. India and the US have also deepened bilateral defence ties, including intelligence sharing.
The senior Indian officials on Tuesday added that New Delhi’s top diplomat, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, maintained “daily” contact with the Trump administration on India’s response to Pakistan’s “provocations”.
But these interactions were “only to brief them on what we have done” rather than mediations, they said, speaking on background.
It was their understanding, the officials added, that US Vice-President J.D. Vance had got involved because “he wanted to have a direct understanding of what was happening on the ground”.
Vance was visiting India when 26 tourists, mostly Hindus, were killed by gunmen on April 22 in Kashmir, a region claimed by both India and Pakistan.
The attack, which India has blamed on Pakistan, led to an intense military conflict starting on May 7, when New Delhi targeted nine “terror bases” in Pakistan.
Pakistan has denied India’s accusation.
On May 9, Vance called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Indian Express news outlet, citing sources, reported on Monday that Vance had shared “alarming intelligence” during the call that led India to attack Pakistani military installations.
On Saturday, Trump announced that Vance and US Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio had mediated a “full and immediate ceasefire”, calling it a “historic and heroic decision” on the part of India and Pakistan. Trump also offered to work with both sides to find a “Kashmir solution”.
However, in an address to the nation on Monday, Modi described the operation targeting Pakistan as only on “pause”. New Delhi has not described the arrangement as a ceasefire but an “understanding”.
China did not immediately react to word that New Delhi had briefed the Quad and others on the conflict. But it has repeatedly slammed the grouping, particularly during the Joe Biden administration’s focus on strengthening allies and partners.
Beijing has called such efforts by Washington a bid to form exclusionary blocs, play “manipulating political games” and foster confrontation.
The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
On Tuesday, Tommy Pigott, a State Department spokesperson, said Trump had been “clear in praising both prime ministers for choosing the path towards peace” and described the US president as a “peacemaker” and “deal maker”.
Meanwhile, India has consistently rejected third-party involvement in the Kashmir issue, saying it must be resolved bilaterally with Pakistan.
New Delhi has said the only matters open for discussion are the return of “Pakistan-occupied” Kashmir and Pakistan’s support for terrorism on Indian soil.
According to senior Indian officials, New Delhi “closely engaged with all members of the Quad” and “after the actions were taken – we briefed all important partners”.
The Quad partners condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam and in “due course” the issue could be reflected in future Quad engagements, they added.
Officials further noted India’s awareness of Pakistan using foreign weapons in the conflict, adding that it was well-known that more than 80 per cent of defence equipment in Pakistan was imported, without naming China.
However, they said an assessment of operational effectiveness would be carried out eventually by the armed forces.
Pakistan claimed it used Chinese J-10 jets to target Indian Air Force aircraft. Two US officials told Reuters on May 8 that at least two Indian jets had been hit.
India has not confirmed the losses but said it destroyed an air-defence system in the city of Lahore and exacted significant damage on three Pakistani airbases, including Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi, where the country’s military and nuclear command are headquartered.
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