Rajnath Singh refutes Trump's mediation claims on Operation Sindoor

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday (September 17) refuted US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims of mediating a ceasefire deal between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor, stating that the action against terrorists has not been paused due to instructions from any third party.

Pointing out that Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has made it clear that India rejected any third-party mediation, Singh said that Operation Sindoor would resume in case of a future terror attack.

‘Nobody stopped’ Operation Sindoor

Without directly mentioning Trump, Singh said some have even claimed to have stropped military operation between India and Pakistan, but the fact is nobody stopped it.

“There are some people who ask whether the ceasefire between India and Pakistan happened because of the intervention of someone. I would like to make it clear. The operation against terrorists was not suspended because of someone's intervention," said Singh.

"Some claim to have stopped the operation between India and Pakistan. Nobody stopped it. I would like to clarify that Mohammad Ishaq Dar, who is Pakistan's Deputy PM and foreign minister, also made it clear that India rejected the third-party role in mediation," he added.

The Defence Minister was addressing the gathering at the 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' celebrations organised by the Centre.

On JeM commander’s statement

Pointing out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that the India-Pakistan issue was a bilateral one and no this-party mediation will be accepted, Singh said that a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) commander has admitted to the deaths of the terror group chief Masood Azhar's family members in the Indian missile strikes in Pakistan during 'Operation Sindoor'.

He said a video confirming it has also been released. Speaking about India's growing strength, he asserted that no one can challenge the country's sovereignty.

‘India knows how to confront enemies’

Singh highlighted that in the last 11 years, under the leadership of PM Modi, the country has repeatedly demonstrated its resolve through actions like the surgical strike in 2016, the Balakot air strike in 2019 and Operation Sindoor this year.

The Defence Minister said that the military operations proved that India knows how to deal with those who do not understand peace, adding that India not only knows how to engage in dialogue but also to directly confront its enemies.

Singh said 'Operation Sindoor' was suspended after Pakistan made repeated pleas for a ceasefire, emphasising that the operation is only "paused" and not over.

"Today's India does not take dictation from anyone. India writes its own script. Today India is ready to write the script of such a world order, which the entire world will follow happily and willingly," the Defence Minister said.

(With agency inputs)