New Delhi, India on Wednesday categorically rejected China’s claim that it played any mediatory role in securing a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during the military confrontation earlier this year, reiterating its long-standing position that there was no third-party intervention in the process.
Highly placed government sources clarified that the ceasefire followed direct military-level communication between New Delhi and Islamabad after Pakistan approached India seeking a truce in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. “India’s position on mediation has always been unambiguous. There was no mediation by any country. Pakistan requested a ceasefire through established military channels,” the sources said.
The clarification came in response to recent remarks by the Chinese Foreign Minister, who echoed claims earlier made by former US President Donald Trump, projecting Beijing as a peace broker between the two nuclear-armed neighbours during the May conflict. New Delhi has strongly refuted these assertions, terming them “factually incorrect and misleading.”
According to Indian officials, the military escalation began on May 7, following heightened tensions along the Line of Control (LoC). The situation was subsequently defused through direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan, a mechanism that has historically been used by both sides to prevent further escalation during crises.
“India does not accept and has never accepted third-party mediation on issues related to Pakistan,” a senior official said, underlining that bilateral issues must be resolved strictly within the framework of the Shimla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration. These agreements clearly mandate bilateral dialogue without external involvement.
The government also rejected attempts by external powers to insert themselves into India-Pakistan dynamics for geopolitical signalling. Officials stressed that any suggestion of mediation undermines India’s sovereignty and its established diplomatic principles. “Such claims do not reflect the ground reality and appear aimed at political posturing rather than peace-building,” an official added.
India’s firm denial also carries diplomatic significance in the context of strained India-China relations, particularly in the aftermath of prolonged military standoffs along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). New Delhi has consistently accused Beijing of attempting to expand its regional influence while disregarding India’s core concerns.
Security analysts note that India’s swift rebuttal is aimed at preventing the creation of a false international narrative. “Allowing such claims to go unchallenged could weaken India’s stated policy against third-party intervention, especially on Kashmir-related matters,” an analyst said.
Pakistan, meanwhile, has maintained silence on the competing claims, though Indian officials insist that official communication records clearly establish that Islamabad initiated the ceasefire request.
By reiterating that peace was restored through direct, bilateral military dialogue, New Delhi has once again underlined its red lines on mediation, sending a clear message that India will not countenance external involvement in its security and sovereignty-related matters.
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