India on Monday firmly rejected a shocking claim by US President Donald Trump that he had been requested by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to mediate in the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan.

During a press conference with the visiting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Trump had on Monday claimed that PM Modi had asked him to mediate in the dispute with Pakistan.

India immediately rejected the claims.

External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar clarified that no such request has been made by PM Modi to the US President, adding that it has been India’s consistent position that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed only bilaterally.

He further reiterated that any dialogue with Pakistan was possible only with an end to cross-border terrorism.

…that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed only bilaterally. Any engagement with Pakistan would require an end to cross border terrorism. The Shimla Agreement & the Lahore Declaration provide the basis to resolve all issues between India & Pakistan bilaterally.2/2

— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) July 22, 2019

Speaking to reporters before his meeting in the White House with Khan, Trump asserted that during his meeting with Modi in Osaka, “We talked about the subject, (and) he actually said, ‘Would you like to mediate or arbitrate?’ I said, ‘Where,?’ (and he said) ‘Kashmir’.”

Trump made the claim about Modi while answering a question from a reporter about what he would do to help resolve the Kashmir issue.

India has time and again maintained that it will not have a third party involvement in the Kashmir issue, which it sees as a bilateral matter with Pakistan.

Despite previously taking a stand against Islamabad-backed terrorism, Trump put himself in a neutral position equating India and Pakistan.

He said: “I think it (India-Pakistan dispute) is a two-way street. You say that India is coming in and destabilising Pakistan, and India is saying Pakistan is coming and destabilising. There is a lot of room right there where we can meet.”

When Trump said, “If you want me to mediate or arbitrate, I will be glad to do it”, Khan immediately said, “Yes, Mr President,” and added that he will have the prayers of millions if he accomplished it.

“I will speak to him (Modi) or you can speak to him,” Trump said.

Trump said that he was surprised at how long the Kashmir problem has been dragging on.

Imran Khan interjected at this point to say the Kashmir problem has been going on for 70 years.

Trump continued: “I think they (India) would like to see it resolved, and I think you (Pakistan) would like to see it resolved. And if I can help, I would love to be mediator.”

“It’s impossible to believe that two incredible countries that are very, very smart, with very smart leadership, can’t solve a problem like that. But if you would want me to mediate, or arbitrate, I would be willing to do that,” the US President said.

Khan then added: “I would like to tell you that right now you will have the prayers of over a billion people if you can mediate and resolve this issue.”

To which Trump nodded and said, “It should be resolved. But he (Modi) asked me the same thing. So I think there is something. So, maybe we’ll speak to him, or I’ll speak to him and we’ll see if we can do something.”

“Because I have heard so much about Kashmir. Such a beautiful name, it’s supposed to be such a beautiful part of the world. But right now, there are just bombs all over the place. So everywhere you go, there are bombs. And it’s a terrible situation, been going on for many years. If I can do anything to help, let me know,” Trump said.

“I think they would like to see it resolved. And if I can help I would love to be the mediator,” he added.

“The two countries that are incredibly smart, with incredibly smart leadership they can resolve an issue like that,” he said.

Earlier, there were reports that Imran Khan would seek US President Donald Trump’s help to resolve the longstanding Kashmir issue with India.

This was Khan’s maiden visit to the US since assuming power following the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s victory in the 2018 general elections.