NEW DELHI, May 19: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri informed a parliamentary panel on Monday that the recent India-Pakistan conflict remained entirely within the conventional military sphere, with “no nuclear signalling” from Pakistan, according to sources present at the meeting.
Appearing before the Standing Committee on External Affairs—chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor—Misri reiterated that the decision to halt military operations was reached bilaterally, in response to Pakistan’s request during Director General of Military Operations (DGMO)-level talks.
Misri’s comments came in response to opposition members’ questions about US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that his administration intervened to prevent a nuclear war between the two nations. “President Trump didn’t seek my consent before making those statements,” Misri reportedly quipped, underscoring the Indian government’s position that no foreign power played a role in the ceasefire.
The foreign ministry’s presentation to the committee echoed this sentiment, stating that no country has “any locus standi” on Jammu and Kashmir, firmly rejecting any suggestion of third-party mediation.
Opposition MPs sought clarity on a range of issues, including the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan’s alleged use of Chinese military platforms, IMF loans to Pakistan, and adversarial stances from Turkiye and Azerbaijan. One MP questioned the lack of a strong rebuttal from New Delhi to Trump’s dramatic assertion that his intervention averted a nuclear conflict.
Responding to these concerns, Misri reaffirmed that the ceasefire agreement, reached on May 10, stemmed solely from bilateral discussions. “There was no nuclear threat. The engagement remained conventional,” he told the committee.
When asked about Pakistan’s use of Chinese platforms during recent hostilities, Misri replied, “It doesn’t matter—we targeted their airbases effectively.” On Pakistan’s success in obtaining an IMF bailout, he acknowledged India’s opposition but added, “Countries act according to their national interests.”
On Turkiye’s hostile posture, Misri observed that it has “traditionally not supported India” and said he saw “no scope for improvement in Indo-Pak ties” given the continuing hostility from Islamabad.
The foreign ministry revealed that India faced at least 24 Pakistan-linked terror attacks in the past year, which killed 24 security personnel and 30 civilians. Terror groups were reportedly using military-grade arms, encrypted communication systems, drones, and steel-coated bullets—underscoring state support from Pakistan.
Some members also raised criticism aimed at External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, referencing comments allegedly suggesting Pakistan was forewarned about Operation Sindoor. Misri dismissed these claims, saying the minister had been misquoted and that contact with Pakistan occurred only after strikes on May 7.
Tharoor later told reporters that the nearly three-hour meeting saw record participation from 24 MPs. He noted the committee stood in solidarity with Misri, who had faced online abuse after the ceasefire announcement. Although the panel considered passing a resolution of support, Misri declined the gesture.
Lawmakers attending included TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee, Congress leaders Rajeev Shukla and Deepender Hooda, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, and BJP’s Aparajita Sarangi and Arun Govil.
The meeting focused on “current foreign policy developments regarding India and Pakistan,” taking place in the context of the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, and the subsequent de-escalation of hostilities.
