India envoy rejects US calls for mediation in Kashmir issue

SINGAPORE – A top Indian envoy said the dispute over Kashmir is a bilateral issue with Pakistan, rejecting any external mediation on the matter despite the United States saying it wanted to facilitate talks.

“For us, Kashmir is a bilateral issue, not an international issue,” High Commissioner of India to Singapore Shilpak Ambule told Bloomberg TV’s Haslinda Amin on May 12. “For us, the word mediation does not work with the Kashmir issue.”

India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire on May 10 after four days of clashes that brought the nuclear-armed neighbours close to a full-blown war. The US said it helped mediate the de-escalation, but India has maintained that the truce was a result of bilateral talks.

The ceasefire happened because Pakistan’s director-general for military operations “got in touch” with his Indian counterpart, said Dr Ambule, adding that New Delhi achieved its objective of “destroying the terrorist camps”.

Pakistan’s army has said India first requested de-escalation.

For decades, India has rejected any outside mediation in Kashmir, an area of the Himalayas that both India and Pakistan claim in its entirety while governing separate parts. New Delhi has said the issue has to be resolved with Pakistan bilaterally, while Islamabad has historically sought international intervention.

On May 11, US President Donald Trump, on his social media platform Truth Social, said he would work with both India and Pakistan to see if “a solution can be arrived at concerning Kashmir”.

In his interview, Dr Ambule insisted that Kashmir talks are strictly between New Delhi and Islamabad.

“Diplomacy does happen and we speak to our counterparts, but that is to clarify our position and what is our demand of Pakistan,” he said.

Even during his first term, Mr Trump attempted to intervene in the Kashmir issue, leading to a furious backlash