NEW DELHI: India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday rejected claims that the country’s recent military operations against Pakistan were ended under foreign pressure, specifically denying that U.S. President Donald Trump had brokered the ceasefire.
Speaking during a parliamentary session focused on the April 22 attack on Hindu pilgrims in Indian-administered Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed, Singh said India had unilaterally concluded its military campaign in May after achieving all pre-defined political and military objectives.
“The suggestion that India halted operations due to external pressure is entirely baseless and inaccurate,” Singh asserted, stressing that the decision was made solely by New Delhi.
The April attack triggered a fierce four-day military confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbors — the worst escalation in nearly 30 years. According to Indian officials, fighter jets, drones, missiles, and other heavy weaponry were used in the conflict, which left dozens dead.
While Trump had earlier claimed to have mediated a ceasefire between the two sides, India has maintained that the agreement to end hostilities was reached bilaterally with Pakistan, without any foreign intervention. Pakistan, however, had thanked the U.S. president for his role.
Meanwhile, the Indian Army reported killing three suspected militants in a gunbattle in Kashmir on Monday. Local media alleged that the men may have been involved in the April attack, though Reuters could not independently verify these claims.
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New Delhi continues to blame Islamabad for backing the perpetrators of the April killings, claiming that Pakistani nationals were directly involved. Pakistan has denied any involvement and has called for an independent investigation.
The April massacre has been described as the worst civilian attack in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Opposition parties in India have criticized the government over an alleged intelligence failure that led to the attack, as well as the inability to capture those responsible. They also plan to challenge the official account of the military conflict and question reports of Indian aircraft being downed.
Pakistan claimed it shot down five Indian planes during the confrontation. India’s top military officials acknowledged initial losses in the air but declined to provide specifics.
The long-disputed region of Kashmir, claimed in full by both India and Pakistan but ruled in parts by each, remains a flashpoint. The two countries have fought three wars since independence, with two of them centered around Kashmir. India accuses Pakistan of supporting militant groups in its part of the territory, while Pakistan maintains that it only provides diplomatic and moral support to the Kashmiri struggle for self-determination.