8th Time in 11 Days: Trump Takes Credit for Ceasefire, Congress Asks ‘Why is Modi Silent?’

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has strongly criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for maintaining silence on US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims of brokering the recent ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

In a sharply worded statement, Ramesh questioned why the Indian leadership has failed to respond publicly to Trump’s assertions. Highlighting that President Trump has, for the eighth time in 11 days, claimed:

1. Full credit for mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan,

2. Equal praise for both Prime Ministers, and

3. Leveraged trade negotiations with India to secure peace.

Calling the Prime Minister “Donald bhai’s great buddy,” Ramesh demanded answers from the government, especially in light of US Secretary of State’s support for Trump’s remarks and the mention of a so-called “neutral site” for Indo-Pak talks.

“Why this thundering silence?” Ramesh asked, warning that India’s diplomatic stance is being defined externally without rebuttal from its own government.

For the 8th time in 11 days, President Trump has -

1. Claimed full credit for the ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

2. Praised the PMs of India and Pakistan equally and put them on par in every way

3. Reiterated that trade with the US was the instrument he used to get… pic.twitter.com/h83pOLiD7y

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) May 22, 2025

John Bolton Reacts: “Trump Being Trump”

Meanwhile, former US National Security Advisor John Bolton responded to Trump’s claims, calling them typical of the former US President. “This is Donald Trump, who takes credit for everything,” Bolton told news agency ANI, adding, “It’s nothing personal to India.”

Bolton explained that while Trump might have spoken with PM Modi and others, his eagerness to jump ahead and claim diplomatic victories is well-known. “It’s just Trump being Trump,” he said, implying that the move should not be interpreted as a targeted narrative against India.

Operation Sindoor and the Ceasefire Agreement

The ceasefire understanding between India and Pakistan, reached on May 10, came after four days of intense cross-border escalation following India’s Operation Sindoor.

On May 7, the Indian armed forces launched precision strikes on nine terror infrastructure sites linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The strikes were in response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians.

In retaliation, Pakistan deployed drones, UAVs, and heavy artillery along the J&K border, heightening fears of a broader conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations.

Amid escalating tensions, the ceasefire announcement was unexpectedly made by US President Trump through a post on Truth Social, not by either of the South Asian governments.

Trump’s Ceasefire Claim and India’s Response

President Trump wrote:

“After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence.”

He also claimed that the US used “trade” as leverage to bring both nations to the negotiating table, and once again offered to mediate on the Kashmir issue.

However, the Indian government firmly rejected Trump’s mediation claims, reiterating that Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter and all issues with Pakistan must be resolved bilaterally.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified:

“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 MEA also emphasized that the subject of trade was never part of any discussion between Indian and US leaders from the onset of Operation Sindoor to the announcement of the ceasefire:

“The issue of trade did not come up in any of these discussions.”

As political tensions simmer over the Indo-Pak ceasefire and Trump’s contentious claims, opposition voices like Jairam Ramesh are amplifying questions about the Indian government’s diplomatic transparency.

Meanwhile, India has decisively reiterated its position on bilateral resolution, rejecting any notion of foreign mediation or influence over matters of national security.

Also Read: Every Act of Terror a War? PM Modi’s Message Decoded