18/06/2025
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump held a 35-minute phone call on Tuesday, where Modi clarified that Operation Sindoor, India's military action against terrorist camps in Pakistan, is still ongoing. Here are the key points from their discussion informed Trump that the operation targeted terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 6-7, and was a measured, precise, and non-escalatory response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
- *No US Mediation*: Modi emphasized that India has never accepted and will never accept any form of mediation in its dealings with Pakistan, countering Trump's earlier claim that he had helped negotiate a ceasefire between the two countries.
- *Ceasefire Agreement*: Modi clarified that the decision to halt military action was taken through direct talks between Indian and Pakistani armies, at Pakistan's request, and not due to any US intervention.
- *India's Stance on Terrorism*: Modi told Trump that India will no longer treat terrorism as a proxy war, but as a direct act of war, indicating a firm shift in India's counter-terrorism strategy.
- *Other Discussion Topics*: The two leaders also discussed the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the importance of direct dialogue to achieve peace. Modi invited Trump to visit India for the next Quad Leaders' Summit, which Trump accepted.
The phone call came after a planned meeting between Modi and Trump at the G7 Summit in Canada was canceled due to Trump's early departure. Despite Trump's claims of mediating a ceasefire, India maintained that its military operation was a sovereign action against terrorism, and Operation Sindoor remains ongoing.