US contacted India, but ceasefire with Pakistan was bilaterally negotiated: Jaishankar
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has clarified that the recent ceasefire between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor was the result of direct negotiations between the two countries, despite the United States having reached out during the conflict.
Speaking to Dutch broadcaster NOS during his visit to the Netherlands, Jaishankar acknowledged that US Secretary of State Rubio and Vice President Vance had contacted Indian leadership. However, he emphasized that the decision to halt military action was made bilaterally.
“The US did call up. They were concerned, like many others. But the cessation of firing and military action was something negotiated directly between India and Pakistan,” Jaishankar stated.
Refuting earlier claims by former US President Donald Trump that he had mediated the ceasefire, Jaishankar reiterated that Pakistan had first communicated its willingness to cease hostilities via a hotline on May 10. India responded accordingly.
“We have a mechanism to talk to each other. It was the Pakistani army that sent a message that they were ready to stop firing,” he said.
On the broader issue of Kashmir, Jaishankar reaffirmed India's stance that it is an integral part of the country. He described the area under Pakistani control as “illegally occupied” since 1947-48.
“No country negotiates a part of its own territory. Kashmir is part of India,” he said, adding that discussions with Pakistan should focus on when it plans to vacate the occupied region.
Jaishankar also highlighted Pakistan’s continued use of cross-border terrorism as a pressure tactic, describing it as part of a radical and extremist strategy by Islamabad’s leadership, particularly the military.
Commenting on India's recent security concerns, Jaishankar said the Pahalgam terror attack—which killed 26 tourists—was designed to destabilize Kashmir’s tourism-based economy and incite religious discord. He linked the attack to Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, asserting that the group’s command centres were targeted by Indian forces on May 7.
“India faces more serious security threats than Europe. That’s why we must prioritise national security,” he said, while expressing confidence in India’s economic fundamentals and demographic advantages.
Jaishankar dismissed Trump's claim of using trade leverage to avoid nuclear conflict, saying that peace and diplomacy remain India’s preferred path, but without external mediation.
“This is something between us and the Pakistanis,” Jaishankar concluded.
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PM Modi lauds reduction in tuberculosis incidence in India
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday lauded the reduction in the incidence of tuberculosis in India since 2015, which was twice the global rate of decline and credited it to the expansion of treatment coverage.
India's TB incidence, which refers to new cases emerging each year, reduced by 21 per cent, from 237 per lakh population in 2015 to 187 per lakh population in 2024, according to the World Health Organisation's Global TB Report 2025.
The reduction is almost double the pace of the decline observed globally at 12 per cent, the Health Ministry said.
"India's fight against TB is achieving remarkable momentum. The latest WHO Global tuberculosis report 2025 highlights that India has recorded a commendable reduction in TB incidence since 2015 and it is nearly twice the global rate of decline," Modi said in a post on X.
The Prime Minister said the decline in incidence of TB in India was one of the sharpest drops seen anywhere in the world.
"Equally heartening is the expansion of treatment coverage, the fall in 'missing cases' and the sustained rise in treatment success. I compliment all those who have worked towards achieving this success. We remain committed to ensuring a healthy and fit India," Modi said.
