New Delhi– U.S. President Donald Trump has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Washington following Modi’s upcoming trip to Canada, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Wednesday.
During a 35-minute phone call—their first since the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s subsequent military response—President Trump expressed interest in meeting Modi, suggesting a stopover visit in the U.S. However, Modi declined the invitation due to prior commitments. Both leaders agreed to explore a meeting at a later date.
Misri said the conversation, held at Trump’s request after a planned meeting at the G7 Summit was canceled, covered a wide range of issues including regional security, the QUAD alliance, and ongoing global conflicts.
“Prime Minister Modi invited President Trump to India for the next QUAD summit, and President Trump accepted the invitation,” Misri confirmed.
The leaders also discussed the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 tourists and was claimed by The Resistance Front, a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. Modi outlined India’s precise, non-escalatory military response, dubbed Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 6–7.
“India’s actions were measured and targeted only at terrorist hideouts,” Misri said. “We made it clear that any aggression would be met with a proportionate military response—’goli’ (bullet) would be answered with ‘gola’ (shell).”
In retaliation, Pakistan launched strikes not only on military assets but also on civilian and religious sites in India, escalating tensions further. India responded with forceful counterstrikes on May 9–10, causing severe damage to Pakistani military infrastructure, including disabling several airbases.
Misri revealed that on the night of May 9, U.S. Vice President Vance had warned PM Modi of a possible Pakistani escalation. Modi reportedly responded firmly, stating that India would respond with “even greater force” if provoked.
Following India’s retaliation, Pakistan requested a ceasefire. “The ceasefire was agreed to only at Pakistan’s request, and military communications occurred directly between the two nations,” Misri emphasized.
Addressing recent public comments by Trump, who claimed to have settled the conflict through trade diplomacy, Misri said Modi was unequivocal in stating that there was no discussion of mediation or trade negotiations during the crisis.
“Prime Minister Modi reiterated that India has never accepted mediation, does not accept it, and will never accept it—there is complete political unanimity in India on this issue,” Misri said.
Trump, he added, fully understood India’s stance and expressed support for its fight against terrorism. Modi also made clear that any future terror attack originating from Pakistan would be treated as an act of war, and that Operation Sindoor is ongoing.
The leaders also exchanged views on broader international developments, including the Israel-Iran conflict and the war in Ukraine. Both agreed on the importance of direct dialogue between Moscow and Kyiv to restore peace. (Source: IANS)
