Indian FM Jaishankar Dodges Questions on US Role in India-Pak Tensions, Pahalgam Attack

NEW DELHI:Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar found himself at odds with tough questions from a foreign journalist during a recent interview, leading to visible discomfort and evasive responses. The questions centered around the U.S. role in diffusing tensions between India and Pakistan, and the recent deadly attack in Pahalgam.

The journalist first asked whether former U.S. President Donald Trump played a role in de-escalating India-Pakistan tensions. The minister responded ambiguously, avoiding a direct answer.

The interviewer followed up with a pointed query: “Have you arrested the killers involved in the Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 lives? Is an operation underway? And what role, if any, has the U.S. played in this process?”

Jaishankar again sidestepped the questions, offering no clear details, prompting criticism back home. The Indian National Congress, seizing on the moment, shared the interview footage across its social media platforms with the caption: *“Why is his tongue faltering?”*

This comes in the wake of a May 10 post by Donald Trump on his social media platform, Truth Social, claiming that Pakistan and India had agreed to a ceasefire following his intervention. While Trump asserted credit, Indian officials have since oscillated between acknowledging and denying the former U.S. president’s involvement.

Observers see this exchange as reflective of India’s discomfort in publicly discussing third-party mediation in its complex relationship with Pakistan, particularly when it contradicts New Delhi’s long-standing stance against external intervention in bilateral matters.