India rejects US trade claim to halt conflict after NY court junks Trump's 'ceasefire' case

FEDERAL COURT BLOCKS TRUMP'S TARIFFS

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NEW DELHI: India on Thursday dismissed claims that trade was discussed with the US during the military standoff with Pakistan, contradicting Washington's repeated assertions that its trade offers helped defuse the tensions.

New Delhi's renewed stance follows US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's statement in a New York court that India and Pakistan agreed to a "tenuous ceasefire" only after President Donald Trump offered both countries access to US markets to prevent a "full-scale war."

In recent weeks, Trump has also repeatedly claimed he warned both nations that the US would halt trade with them if they failed to de-escalate the conflict.

India has been consistently maintaining that the understanding on cessation of hostilities with Pakistan was reached following direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two militaries.

"From the time Operation Sindoor commenced on May 7 till the understanding on cessation of firing and military action was reached on May 10, there were conversations between Indian and the US leaders on the evolving military situation," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

"The issue of trade or tariff did not come up in any of those discussions," he said at his weekly media briefing.

Jaiswal was answering questions on the Trump administration's submission at the New York court.

"The external affairs minister has also made it clear that the cessation of firing was decided upon in direct contacts between the DGMOs of India and Pakistan," Jaiswal said.

Lutnick made the submission in the Court of International Trade last week, while opposing any attempt to restrain President Trump from using emergency powers to impose tariffs.

The top official said the president's power to impose tariffs is crucial to his ability to conduct real-world diplomacy.