External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has clarified that the cessation of firing and military action was negotiated directly between the armies of the two warring neighbours, even as US President Donald Trump repeated his claim that he used trade to settle the India and Pakistan conflict.

“Yes, we have a mechanism to talk to each other as a hotline. So, on the 10th of May, it was the Pakistani army that sent a message that they were ready to stop firing, and we responded accordingly,” Jaishankar, who is currently in Europe, told The Netherlands-based NOS during an interview.

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The minister, when asked about the US role in the Indo-Pak ceasefire, stated that several countries were in touch with India and Pakistan, but New Delhi clearly told them that the Pakistani side must speak to the Indian army directly.

“The US was not alone. Several other countries, including some Gulf nations and others as well, were talking to us and the Pakistani side, too. It is natural that when two countries are involved in a conflict, other countries in the world express their concern and indicate what they can do in such a situation,” he said, adding “But the ceasefire—the cessation of firing and military action—was something that was directly negotiated between India and Pakistan.”

Jaishankar stated that India told every nation that spoke to them that if Pakistan wants to stop the firing, it needs to convey this to their Indian counterparts.

“We made one thing very clear to everybody who spoke to us—not just the United States, but to everyone—that if Pakistan wants to stop the firing, they need to tell us. We want to hear it from them. Their general has to call our general and say this,” he added.

His remarks come against the backdrop of a massive political controversy in India after US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire in a social media post. India and Pakistan confirmed the development only after Trump’s announcement.

The US President also claimed that he warned New Delhi and Islamabad that the US would halt trade with them if they continued to fight.

After Trump’s claim, the Opposition Congress questioned the US mediation in disputes between India and Pakistan. As per the Simla agreement signed between the two countries, disputes will be resolved bilaterally without the intervention of any third nation.