Wed May 28 07:12:45 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
The Indian National Congress is pressing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address claims made by the Trump administration that the U.S. brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. The Congress points to statements from U.S. officials, including a recent declaration by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Luttnick in court, asserting Trump’s use of tariff power to achieve this. This follows intense cross-border military action sparked by an Indian response to a terror attack, and subsequent Pakistani retaliatory strikes. While the Indian government maintains the ceasefire was the result of direct negotiations, the Congress wants Modi to clarify the extent of any U.S. involvement, particularly given Trump’s repeated assertions of U.S. mediation.
**News Article:**
**Congress Demands Modi Address U.S. Claims of Brokering India-Pakistan Ceasefire**
**New Delhi – May 28, 2025:** The Indian National Congress (INC) has called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to publicly address claims emanating from the U.S. that the Trump administration played a key role in brokering a recent ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
INC General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, in a statement released today, urged Modi to “break his silence” on the matter, citing a sworn statement made by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Luttnick in a New York court on May 23rd, 2025. Luttnick reportedly testified that President Trump used his tariff power to achieve a “tenuous ceasefire” and “fragile peace” between the two nations.
“The Prime Minister should let the country know whether it is true,” Ramesh stated, referencing previous assertions made by President Trump himself and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio has also alluded to a “neutral site” for talks between India and Pakistan.
The INC’s demand comes after a period of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan earlier this month. India launched “Operation Sindoor” on May 7th in response to the April 22nd Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan retaliated with attacks on Indian military bases, prompting a fierce counter-attack from Indian forces. An understanding was reached between the two nations on May 10th to cease hostilities following four days of intense cross-border exchanges.
While the Indian government has maintained that the ceasefire was the result of direct negotiations between India and Pakistan, the repeated claims from the U.S. have fueled speculation and prompted the INC to seek clarity. The party is pressing Modi to clarify the extent of any U.S. involvement in the process. A response from the Prime Minister is pending.
First Piper 