Delhi: India on Wednesday categorically denied claims that China played any mediating role during the military confrontation with Pakistan earlier this year, reaffirming its long-standing position that bilateral issues are resolved without third-party involvement. Official sources in New Delhi said the ceasefire in May followed a direct request from Pakistan and was not brokered by any external power.
The rebuttal came after remarks by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who stated that Beijing had facilitated dialogue during several global conflicts, including tensions between India and Pakistan. China’s comments echoed earlier assertions by US President Donald Trump, who had also suggested international mediation during the standoff.
Indian government sources rejected these claims, stressing that India’s stance on mediation has remained consistent. According to officials, no country intervened diplomatically following Operation Sindoor, and the decision to halt military action was taken only after Pakistan approached India’s Director General of Military Operations through established military communication channels.
The brief but intense confrontation in May followed a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam valley on April 22, in which 26 civilians lost their lives. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure across the border in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation marked a sharp escalation before hostilities were de-escalated days later.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, while addressing an international symposium on foreign relations, claimed that China had adopted an “objective and just” approach in resolving global hotspots. He listed India-Pakistan tensions among several conflicts where Beijing had allegedly played a mediating role. However, Indian officials dismissed this assertion as inaccurate.
New Delhi has repeatedly underlined that dialogue with Pakistan, if any, must be bilateral and free from third-party facilitation. Officials said India will continue to reject any narrative suggesting external mediation, maintaining that decisions taken during the May conflict were sovereign and based on direct military-to-military communication.
