Modi’s address silent on Trump’s claim of U.S. averting nuclear conflict by threatening to stop trade: Congress

Congress criticises PM Modi's silence on U.S. role in India-Pakistan ceasefire, demands meeting with political leaders.

The Congress on Monday (May 12, 2025) claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “much delayed” address to the nation on Operation Sindoor was silent on U.S. President Donald Trump’s “revelations” that the U.S. averted a nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan by threatening to stop trade with the two countries if their hostilities didn’t end soon.

The Congress’s official position on the matter, articulated by party communications chief Jairam Ramesh, was at odds with that of senior party leader and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor, who asserted that the ceasefire was a “bilateral agreement” between India and Pakistan.

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“The PM’s much-delayed address to the nation was completely upstaged by President Trump’s revelations a few minutes earlier. The PM was completely silent on them. Has India agreed to U.S. mediation? Has India agreed to a ‘neutral site’ for a dialogue with Pakistan? Will India now give in on U.S. demands for opening Indian markets in autos, agriculture, and other areas?” Mr. Ramesh asked in a post on X.

He demanded that the Prime Minister have a meeting with leaders of all political parties.

“The months ahead will demand both painstaking diplomacy and a collective resolve. One-liners and dialogue-baazi are poor substitutes. We applaud and salute our armed forces unreservedly. They have done the country proud. We are 100% with them at all times. But the PM has still much to answer for,” Mr. Ramesh added.

Contradicting this view, Mr. Tharoor told news agency PTI that the Government of India allowed a “certain politician to take credit”, referring to Mr. Trump’s claim.