No Third Party Involved: India Rejects China’s Claim on Pak Ceasefire Mediation

India has firmly rejected claims by China that it played a mediating role in the ceasefire between New Delhi and Islamabad following the May military confrontation, reiterating that the decision was taken strictly through bilateral channels without any third-party involvement.

New Delhi has consistently maintained that the ceasefire announced on May 10, after Operation Sindoor, was finalised through direct communication between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan. Official sources reiterated that bilateral matters between the two countries do not involve external mediation.

The clarification comes after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi claimed that Beijing had facilitated de-escalation between India and Pakistan, along with several other global conflicts. China said it adopted an objective and neutral stance while addressing both immediate tensions and underlying causes.

China’s assertion follows similar claims made repeatedly by former US President Donald Trump, who has said on multiple occasions that Washington played a role in halting the India-Pakistan conflict. India, however, has rejected all such assertions.

China’s claims have also drawn scrutiny due to its open strategic support for Pakistan during the conflict. Indian military officials have stated that Beijing provided extensive military backing to Islamabad, including real-time inputs during the hostilities. Senior Army officials described the confrontation as an opportunity for China to assess its military systems under live combat conditions, given Pakistan’s heavy reliance on Chinese defence equipment.

The brief but intense military standoff between India and Pakistan in May was triggered by a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, which claimed 26 civilian lives. India responded with Operation Sindoor, targeting multiple terror infrastructure sites across the border. The situation de-escalated following direct military-level talks between the two sides.