Modi Rejects Mediation on Kashmir in Call with Trump; Declines U.S. Visit While Tensions with Pakistan Remain High

Amid ongoing regional tensions, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has once again refused any international mediation on the long-standing Kashmir dispute during a phone conversation with former U.S. President Donald Trump. The call, held on June 17 while Modi was attending the G7 Summit in Canada, comes at a time of heightened strain in South Asia following India’s recent military actions near the Line of Control (LoC).

According to Indian media briefings, the conversation centered on Operation Sindoor, an alleged Indian strike targeting what New Delhi claims were terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir. The operation followed a 22 April incident in Pahalgam, in which 26 civilians reportedly lost their lives in a suspected attack. India blamed Pakistan-based elements for the incident — an accusation Islamabad has categorically rejected as baseless and politically motivated.

During the 35-minute conversation initiated by Trump, Modi reportedly reiterated India’s refusal to accept any third-party role in addressing the Kashmir issue — a stance long held by New Delhi. Modi is said to have emphasized that India sees the matter as a strictly bilateral issue, thereby rejecting not only Pakistan’s appeals for international attention but also Trump’s previous offers to mediate.

Pakistan, however, maintains that Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute, as acknowledged by multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions, and cannot be relegated to a bilateral framework that consistently yields no progress. Islamabad has consistently called for third-party facilitation, particularly from global powers like the United States, to ensure a just and peaceful resolution in line with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

Responding to the latest developments, officials in Islamabad view Modi’s firm refusal to accept mediation as yet another indication of India’s unwillingness to engage constructively on the Kashmir issue. Diplomatic sources also highlight that India’s recurring military operations and aggressive rhetoric are undermining regional stability and deflecting attention from internal human rights violations in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

“By refusing dialogue and rejecting mediation, India is not only defying international norms but also avoiding accountability for the human rights abuses being documented regularly by credible global organizations,” said a senior Pakistani foreign office official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Interestingly, the call also took place just days ahead of a scheduled meeting between President Trump and Pakistan’s Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir, set for a working lunch in the White House Cabinet Room. Observers in Pakistan note the timing of Modi’s outreach to Trump as possibly strategic, aimed at reinforcing India’s narrative in Washington before the high-level engagement with Pakistan’s military leadership.

Although Trump extended an invitation for Modi to visit the United States following his G7 engagements, the Indian premier reportedly declined, citing prior domestic commitments. Instead, Modi invited Trump to attend the upcoming QUAD Summit in India — an initiative seen by many in Pakistan as part of a broader strategic containment policy aimed at countering China’s and, by extension, Pakistan’s regional influence.

Islamabad views the continued refusal by India to engage in meaningful dialogue and its rejection of mediation as counterproductive. Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated in a recent statement that “lasting peace in South Asia is impossible without the resolution of the Kashmir dispute,” and added that India’s repeated military posturing only escalates risks of miscalculation between two nuclear-armed neighbors.

The international community, including the United Nations, OIC, and human rights organizations, have been urged by Pakistan to play a more proactive role in de-escalating tensions and pressuring India to respect the fundamental rights of Kashmiris, especially in light of reports of increased crackdowns, demographic changes, and curbs on press and political dissent in the valley.

Background:
The Kashmir conflict, rooted in the partition of 1947, remains unresolved over seven decades later. While India claims the entire territory as an integral part of its union, Pakistan views Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed region awaiting a UN-mandated plebiscite. Recent years have seen the abrogation of Article 370 by India, increased militarization, and the silencing of Kashmiri voices, all of which have further deteriorated regional peace prospects.