Shashi Tharoor Dismisses Trump’s Mediation Claim in India-Pakistan Ceasefire Talks

Congress MP and veteran diplomat Shashi Tharoor has strongly refuted former US President Donald Trump’s assertion that Washington played a mediating role in brokering the recent ceasefire between India and Pakistan, calling the claim "unfortunate" and "diplomatically inaccurate."

Trump, in a social media post over the weekend, stated that the United States had led negotiations that resulted in a sudden cessation of hostilities between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Both India and Pakistan had formally confirmed the ceasefire shortly after Trump’s announcement, fueling global curiosity about the US's actual involvement.

Shashi Tharoor and Trump

Speaking to NDTV, Tharoor minced no words. “Let me be blunt about it — what the US did was not mediation. Conversations occurred, yes, but India never sought or accepted third-party mediation,” said the Thiruvananthapuram MP, who previously served as a high-ranking official at the United Nations.

He elaborated that while back-channel communications and diplomatic outreach were ongoing — including conversations between India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his counterparts in the US, UK, UAE, and France — these interactions were not part of any official mediation process.

“Secretary Rubio of the US spoke to both Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers. That’s diplomacy — not mediation,” Tharoor emphasized, adding that such constructive roles are often played by major powers during international crises.

Tharoor also criticized Trump’s style of public diplomacy. “It’s highly irregular for a former or current world leader to publicly claim credit in this manner. This is not how serious international diplomacy is conducted,” he remarked.

Trump, in his statement on Truth Social, had said, “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.” He went on to praise the leadership of both nations and offered to mediate the long-standing Kashmir conflict.

However, New Delhi has consistently maintained that the Kashmir issue is a bilateral matter and has rejected any foreign intervention. “India sees Jammu and Kashmir as an internal and sovereign issue. No third-party involvement is acceptable,” Tharoor reiterated, echoing the official Indian stance.

The ceasefire came after days of heightened military tension, following India’s retaliatory strikes under Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation was a response to the Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of 26 Indian tourists.

While Trump congratulated both countries for “common sense and great intelligence,” Indian officials have remained tight-lipped about the US’s actual role.

Meanwhile, Tharoor concluded with a reminder: “India is fully capable of handling its conflicts with Pakistan. Acknowledging informal international diplomacy is one thing, but accepting mediation is entirely different — and that’s a line India will not cross.”