US Reasserts Role in India-Pakistan De-escalation; India Pushes Back

The United States has once again asserted that the Trump administration played a key role in reducing tensions between India and Pakistan in recent months, as part of a broader global push to mediate conflicts and promote peaceful resolutions. However, New Delhi has reiterated that the ceasefire was initiated solely at Pakistan’s request, and not due to any external intervention.

Speaking at a UN Security Council debate on “Multilateralism and the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes”—chaired by Pakistan, which holds the Council’s rotating presidency for July—U.S. Representative Ambassador Dorothy Shea said,

“Over the past three months alone, U.S. leadership has helped de-escalate conflicts between Israel and Iran, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, and India and Pakistan.”

She credited President Trump’s administration for encouraging all parties to reach resolutions, and called on other countries in conflict to follow these examples.

India Responds Firmly
This is not the first time the Trump administration has claimed credit for helping resolve Indo-Pak tensions. Since May 10, President Trump and his officials have repeated the assertion that he “helped settle” the standoff between the two nuclear-armed neighbors—offering to boost trade if both sides committed to peace.

India, however, has strongly rejected this narrative. Its UN Ambassador, Parvathaneni Harish, clarified that the ceasefire came only after Pakistan requested a halt to hostilities following Operation Sindoor, India’s targeted strike on terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK).

“Operation Sindoor was focused, measured, and non-escalatory. Once India achieved its military objectives, a cessation of military activity was concluded directly at Pakistan’s request,” Harish said during the debate.

He added that India does not support one-size-fits-all solutions to conflict resolution, and that it will continue to engage constructively through the UN and other multilateral platforms in the pursuit of a peaceful and equitable world order.

Background: Operation Sindoor
Operation Sindoor, carried out in early May 2025, involved precision air and artillery strikes by India against militant infrastructure in PoJK. Though the operation raised fears of escalation, it remained contained and was not followed by large-scale mobilization. According to Indian officials, the operation was intended as a deterrent response, not a prelude to war.

U.S. Criticism of China Also Highlighted
In the same address to the Security Council, Ambassador Shea also issued a strong condemnation of China’s “expansive and unlawful” maritime claims in the South China Sea.

“We again call on China to comply with the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, which is final and legally binding,” Shea said.

She accused Beijing of repeatedly rejecting the ruling, interfering with international navigation rights, and violating the sovereignty of neighboring coastal nations including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

Looking Ahead
While the Trump administration continues to tout its role as a global mediator, India’s response underlines a broader theme in its foreign policy: that bilateral conflicts should be resolved directly between the parties involved, without outside interference—particularly when it comes to Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the U.S. position on China signals a deepening alignment with Southeast Asian nations and a firmer stance on international maritime law.