India rejects China talks claims
India on Wednesday firmly dismissed assertions that any foreign power played a role in de-escalating tensions with Pakistan after the military standoff earlier this year. The dismissal came following fresh claims by China that it helped broker ceasefire between the two neighbours.
Official sources in New Delhi reiterated that the ceasefire announced on May 10, which came in the aftermath of India’s military action under Operation Sindoor, was achieved exclusively through direct communication between India and Pakistan. The understanding, they stressed, emerged from talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries, in keeping with established bilateral protocols.
“There is no room for third-party involvement in issues between India and Pakistan,” Government sources said, underlining that New Delhi’s stance has remained consistent and has been conveyed repeatedly. “The ceasefire was agreed directly between the two sides.”
The clarification follows remarks by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who recently claimed that Beijing had mediated in several international disputes, including the India-Pakistan confrontation in May. Speaking at a public event, Wang said China had pursued a “neutral and objective” approach to global conflicts and cited South Asia among regions where it purportedly played a diplomatic role. China’s claim echoes similar statements made by former US President Donald Trump, who has on multiple occasions asserted that Washington helped prevent a wider conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. India has consistently rejected those assertions, describing them as unfounded. Analysts point out that Beijing’s remarks have drawn scrutiny given China’s close strategic and military relationship with Pakistan. During the short but intense confrontation, China publicly supported Islamabad at international fora. Indian military officials have since indicated that Beijing may have extended technical and operational assistance to Pakistan during the hostilities. Senior Army leaders have also suggested that China viewed the confrontation as an opportunity to evaluate the performance of defence equipment supplied to Pakistan.
Estimates indicate that a large majority of Pakistan’s military hardware acquired in recent years has been of Chinese origin.The May crisis was sparked by a terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, in which 26 civilians were killed. India responded with *Operation Sindoor*, striking and dismantling several terror infrastructure sites across the border. After days of escalation, both sides agreed to halt military operations.
India has emphasised that while it remains committed to de-escalation and regional stability, dialogue with Pakistan will remain strictly bilateral. New Delhi has rejected what it describes as attempts by external actors to claim diplomatic credit or reinterpret the sequence of events surrounding the ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has continued to claim that his administration used trade-related pressure to avert a larger conflict, stating that his intervention resolved the crisis within 24 hours. India, however, has categorically denied those claims.
