Is Trump Playing the Kashmir Card to Undermine India?

US President Donald Trump seems to have ratcheted up the Kashmir card to undermine India's Operation Sindoor, which New Delhi categorically said was about dismantling terror infrastructure, terrorists, and their handlers in Pakistan.

Despite that, Trump jumped the gun while announcing a "ceasefire" between India and Pakistan after three days of intense military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed nations on Saturday. Interestingly, he appeared to have hyphenated India with Pakistan; at least in his statement, he didn't make any mention of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

Besides, his attempts to take credit for the understanding between the two nations to stop hostilities seem to have created an angst in India, with the government firmly denying his claims.

In a sharp response to Secretary of State Marco Rubio's comments about India and Pakistan discussing Kashmir at a neutral venue, Prime Minister Modi stated that the only subject for discussion would be the "return of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan" and addressing terrorism and terror outfits operating from Pakistani soil.

Additionally, Trump offered to mediate between the two sides over Kashmir. However, India's Ministry of External Affairs reaffirmed PM Modi's earlier statement, emphasising that dialogue with Pakistan would focus solely on cross-border terrorism and the vacating of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, which India claims as its own.

"We have a long-standing national position that any issues pertaining to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have to be addressed by India and Pakistan bilaterally. That stated policy has not changed. The outstanding matter is the vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan," MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Trump's offer to mediate on Kashmir would directly harm India's interests, Savio Rodrigues, a politician belonging to the federally ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a former spokesperson of the party's Goa unit, told Sputnik India on Wednesday.

India's foreign policy on Jammu and Kashmir has been consistent over decades — there is no room for external mediation in what is essentially a bilateral dispute between India and Pakistan, he added.

"However, Western powers, particularly the US, have failed to appreciate India's sensitivities on Jammu and Kashmir. Under PM Modi, our stand has been clear — any talk on Kashmir with Pakistan will only involve the return of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) to India. So, Trump's statement is a direct affront to India's longstanding diplomatic principle," Rodrigues stressed.

Similar views were echoed by Anil Gupta, another BJP official linked to the Jammu and Kashmir division of the outfit.

"If at all, talks with Pakistan will be held, discussions will only be on Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and cross-border terrorism, which the Prime Minister also highlighted recently. As far as Trump is concerned, only he could explain where he would mediate if India doesn't want him to intervene in this matter," Gupta said in an interview with Sputnik India.

By striking deep inside Pakistan, including a dozen of their air bases, India sent a clear message to Pakistan that cross-border terrorism will not be tolerated, and Pakistan is now well aware of the situation that any other cowardly act of terror in India will be considered as an act of war, Gulrez Sheikh, BJP's social media in-charge in Madhya Pradesh, told Sputnik India.

"Therefore, if anything, Trump should get involved with Pakistan and ask the Pakistanis to dismantle their terror infrastructure, besides handing over proscribed terrorists wanted in India," he concluded.

Political Affairs

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