Kashmir Issue Is Bilateral Between India and Pakistan : MEA
Suhail Khan
New Delhi, May 13 : Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, India has strongly reacted to US President Donald Trump’s statement on Kashmir. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated India’s stance, firmly rejecting any external mediation on the issue.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, during a press conference as per Kashmir Despatch, stated, “India does not accept any kind of mediation on Kashmir.”
Responding to Trump’s ceasefire remarks, Jaiswal emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir is a bilateral matter between India and Pakistan, adding that **the focus now is on vacating Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Addressing speculation about a potential nuclear war raised by Trump, Jaiswal clarified that India’s military actions were strictly within the conventional domain.
“There were reports that Pakistan’s National Command Authority would meet on May 10, but this was later denied by them. Pakistan’s foreign minister has himself denied any nuclear escalation on record,” Jaiswal said.
He further asserted, “India maintains a firm stance: we will not succumb to nuclear blackmail nor tolerate cross-border terrorism under any pretext.”
“In our discussions with various countries, we also cautioned that endorsing such speculative scenarios could have adverse repercussions in their own regions,” he added.
Jaiswal also stated that India would keep the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance until Pakistan demonstrates credible and irreversible action against cross-border terrorism. He accused Pakistan of “nurturing terrorism on an industrial scale.”
Ceasefire Agreement and India’s Firm Stand
The MEA revealed that Director General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan held talks on May 10, leading to a ceasefire agreement. Pakistan had requested the dialogue on the same day, which India attributed to Pakistan’s compulsion following heavy airstrikes by the Indian Air Force on Pakistani airbases.
“India’s military strength forced Pakistan to agree to a ceasefire,” the MEA stated.
Additionally, India conveyed to several nations that its operations solely targeted terrorist hideouts in response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The MEA made it clear that India would not initiate hostilities but would respond decisively if provoked.
Kashmir Is Strictly a Bilateral Matter: MEA
On Trump’s remarks regarding Kashmir, Jaiswal reiterated India’s clear and consistent position:
“All issues pertaining to Kashmir are solely between India and Pakistan. This policy remains unchangeable, and Pakistan must vacate the illegally occupied Kashmir (PoK).”
Pertinently, In a related development, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a high-level meeting on Tuesday to assess the security situation along the Western Border following the successful Operation Sindoor.
The meeting was attended by: Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan,
Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, Chief of the Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi , Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari.
