NEW DELHI, Jul 28: India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has rejected suggestions that trade issues were linked to Operation Sindoor, saying no such connection was made at any stage in conversations with the United States. He said the request to halt military action came from Pakistan through the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) channel.
Speaking during a special discussion in the Lok Sabha on India’s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, Jaishankar said only three of the 190 UN member states opposed Operation Sindoor, reflecting “overwhelming recognition” that the attacked country had the right to defend itself. He described the operation as “focussed, measured and non-escalatory,” targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Jaishankar credited Indian diplomacy with securing the US designation of The Resistance Front (TRF) as a global terrorist organisation. He also clarified there was no call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then-US President Donald Trump from April 22 to June 17, countering opposition claims that Washington mediated a ceasefire using trade leverage.
He said India’s post-attack response included suspending the Indus Waters Treaty until Pakistan ceased support for terrorism, and shaping global opinion to highlight Islamabad’s role in cross-border militancy. Operation Sindoor began on May 7 and ended on May 10 after an understanding was reached via the DGMO channel, following four days of cross-border drone and missile strikes.