External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has firmly dismissed the notion of thanking the United States for the May 10 ceasefire understanding between India and Pakistan, asserting that it was Indian military action—not foreign mediation—that forced Islamabad to seek an end to hostilities.
In an interview with Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), Jaishankar emphasized that the cessation of cross-border firing was achieved through direct military-to-military contact and not diplomatic intervention from the U.S. or any third party.
“I thank the Indian military because it was the Indian military action that made Pakistan say: We are ready to stop,” Jaishankar stated.
The minister was in Berlin, wrapping up his three-nation tour, and spoke after holding bilateral talks with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.
Jaishankar revealed that under Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, India executed precision strikes on nine terror infrastructures located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
Following these strikes, Pakistan attempted retaliatory attacks on Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10, which were repelled with force, leading to their eventual agreement to a halt.
On May 10, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri officially announced that both nations had reached an understanding to cease all military actions across land, air, and sea with immediate effect.
Jaishankar reiterated that the Indian Armed Forces neutralized key Pakistani airbases and air defence systems, compelling Pakistan to de-escalate. “We fired back in self-defence. Once the Pakistanis understood they were taking a harmful course, we were able to stop firing,” he added.
Commenting on China’s indirect involvement, Jaishankar noted that many weapons used by Pakistani forces were of Chinese origin, underlining the deep military ties between Beijing and Islamabad.
“You can draw your own conclusions from that,” he remarked, subtly pointing to China’s complicity in destabilizing the region.
He also reiterated India’s longstanding stance on cross-border terrorism, stating that terrorist groups continue to operate “openly from cities and towns in Pakistan.”
