India-Pakistan engagement has to be bilateral: MEA

New Delhi [India], May 22 : The Ministry of External Affairs emphasized that any engagement between India and Pakistan has to be bilateral, excluding third-party involvement.

Adressing the weekly briefing on Thursday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also highlighted that any "any bilateral discussion" on Jammu-Kashmir will only be on the "vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan."

Jaiswal stated, "Our position is that any India-Pakistan engagement has to be bilateral. At the same time, I would like to remind you that talks and terror don't go together."

Jaiswal also noted that India is "open to discussing the handing over to India of noted terrorists whose list was provided to Pakistan some years ago."

Highlighting the Indus Waters Treaty, Jaiswal said that the treaty will remain in "abeyance" until Pakistan "credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism."

Meanwhile, Jaiswal declined to elaborate on US President Donald Trump's claim of brokering the understanding of cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan, stating that the issue was already addressed in a previous briefing. Jaiswal said, "In my last briefing, I had addressed this issue. I have nothing further to add."

On China, MEA spokesperson Jaiswal spoke abou the call between national security advisor Ajit Doval with his Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi on May 10. Jaiswal said, "Our NSA and the Chinese Foreign Minister and Special Representative on Boundary Issue Wang Yi had spoken to each other on 10th May 2025, when NSA conveyed India's resolute stance against cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan."

"The Chinese side is well aware that mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity remain the basis of India-China relations," MEA spokesperson said.

The cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan came after India's 'Operation Sindoor', launched in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.

The operation targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), leading to intense clashes, including Pakistan's attempted drone attacks on Indian cities along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC) and shelling along the LoC.

Earlier, before India could officially announce any understanding of cessation of hostilities with Pakistan, US President Donald Trump announced the "full and immediate ceasefire", claiming that the US played a key role as a mediator.

However, India refuted the claims made by the US President, reiterating its policy that India and Pakistan bilaterally address any matter related to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

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