Chidambaram slams Modi over Trump-Munir meeting
Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram questioned the Modi government’s failure to promptly refute Trump’s assertion that he played a key role in preventing a war between two nuclear-armed neighbours. He also raised concerns about the lunch meeting between Trump and Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, suggesting it casts serious doubts over India’s diplomatic posture and its longstanding.
Chidambaram emphasised that any perception of foreign intervention undermines India’s sovereignty and could set a worrying precedent in regional diplomacy. He urged the Modi government to clarify its position on Trump’s comments and assert India’s established policy of resolving issues with Pakistan bilaterally, without foreign interference. His remarks also hinted at potential implications for future US-India relations, warning that such silence could damage India’s credibility on the global stage and embolden Pakistan’s narrative in international forums.
Chidambaram Slams Modi Govt Over Trump’s Mediation Claims and Meeting with Pakistan Army Chief
Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government for their handling of the recent developments surrounding US President Donald Trump’s claims of Chidambaram raised serious concerns over both the credibility of the Modi government’s foreign policy and the implications of Trump’s comments, especially in light of the US President hosting Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir.
Thirty-nine days after Mr Trump first claimed that he had mediated and stopped the war between India and Pakistan, Mr Modi told Mr Trump in a telephone call that ‘India does not and will never accept mediation.’”
Chidambaram was referring to a phone call between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump that took place on June 18. During this call, according to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Modi reiterated India’s consistent stance against third-party mediation in its bilateral issues with Pakistan. Misri, in a video message issued after the conversation, emphasized that India has always opposed external intervention and will continue to resolve its disputes with Pakistan bilaterally, in accordance with the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration.
Trump, since May, has repeatedly claimed that he played a pivotal role in stopping hostilities between India and Pakistan following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent four-day military escalation.
“It is astonishing that it took the Indian government nearly 40 days to respond to such a serious assertion made by the President of the United States. Why was there no immediate rebuttal if the claim was false?” Chidambaram asked, underscoring what he described as a failure in diplomatic urgency and clarity.
The former Finance Minister further expressed concern over the optics and diplomatic signals being sent through the United States’ actions—particularly President Trump’s decision to host General Asim Munir at the White House. “It is unprecedented for the head of state of a major democracy to equate the army chief of another nation with the elected head of government of his own strategic partner,” Chidambaram noted. “Trump not only praised General Munir as being instrumental in avoiding war, but placed him on the same pedestal as PM Modi—this should alarm every Indian who values India’s sovereign standing.”
Indeed, hours after the Modi-Trump phone call, the US President welcomed General Munir to the White House and praised him for being “very helpful” in preventing further escalation between India and Pakistan. Trump said both “very smart people”—referring to Modi and Munir—had shown restraint and helped de-escalate tensions, implying a role of parity between the two leaders.
This equivalence, Chidambaram argued, is not only diplomatically inappropriate but could also be strategically damaging for India. One where our Prime Minister is equated with a military general of a neighbouring country that continues to support cross-border terrorism?” he asked in his post.
The Congress leader called on the Modi government to make a formal and unequivocal public statement, distancing itself from Trump’s assertions and reaffirming India’s principled stand on bilateral resolution of disputes. “The world must not be left to interpret our silence as agreement. Our commitment to bilateralism must be asserted not just in private phone calls but through transparent public diplomacy,” he said.
Experts have also weighed in, noting that while the US President’s remarks might be politically motivated and aimed at showcasing his own diplomatic credentials, the Indian government must act decisively to counter any misperceptions. Some foreign policy analysts expressed concern that the Modi government’s slow response has allowed Pakistan to project the impression of international support, particularly in American political circles.