'We Hit Them Hard': Jaishankar Reiterates India, Pakistan Negotiated Ceasefire Amid Trump Claims
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Jaishankar, however, acknowledged that having a world leader (Donald Trump) advocating for peaceful settlements is always welcome.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has reiterated that while US President Donald Trump's approach to achieving peace is welcome, the ceasefire understanding between India and Pakistan was reached through direct negotiations. Speaking to Denmark's TV2 Channel, Jaishankar asserted that India resolved the issue through military action by negotiating directly and 'hitting them hard", which led to Pakistan seeking an understanding.
Responding to a question on how Trump's approach towards brokering peace between India and Pakistan, Jaishankar highlighted that terrorism is the key challenge right now that India and the world is facing. He referred to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor that followed, emphasising that terrorists have been operating in Pakistan with 'state protection" and how 'India had to deal with them".
'We hit them very hard on one of the days, May 10, to be precise, and that is when Pakistan said we need to stop the firing and reach an understanding," Jaishankar said.
He also discussed the ongoing global conflicts, including the bloodshed in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Yemen. Jaishankar acknowledged that having a world leader (Trump) advocating for peaceful settlements is always welcome.
Reflecting on the past five years, he noted that the world has faced significant challenges, with conflicts in the Middle East disrupting shipping and the conflict in Europe affecting food and energy supplies. Jaishankar emphasised that different countries need to find ways to de-escalate tensions. He, however, reiterated that such de-escalation can be achieved through direct dialogue between the concerned parties even as attempts to broker peace were welcome.
Meanwhile, in another interview with Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant on Thursday, Jaishankar rejected the notion that Pakistan was unaware of the terrorist organisations operating on its soil and said both the Pakistani state and the Army are involved in terrorist activities.
Earlier, too, Jaishankar had said that several countries were in touch with India when Operation Sindoor was underway between May 7 and 10, stressing that 'the US was not alone". He had highlighted that India told every other country, including the United States, that if Pakistan wanted a ceasefire, they have communicate it to India directly.
First Published:
May 23, 2025, 14:51 IST
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