Modi tells Trump India won`t accept `third-party mediation`

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told US President Donald Trump that Delhi will never accept third-party mediation with Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir, India's senior-most diplomat said, reports BBC.

Foreign secretary Vikram Misri said that Modi "strongly" conveyed India's long-held stand to Trump during a phone call between the two leaders on Tuesday.

Trump has repeatedly offered to mediate between India and Pakistan to solve the "Kashmir issue" since a four-day conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May.

The White House has not commented on India's statement.

Misri also said that Modi told Trump "clearly" that during the duration of the conflict, "no talks were held at any level on the India-America trade deal or on the mediation between India and Pakistan by America".

Trump has repeatedly claimed that India and Pakistan ended the conflict after a ceasefire brokered by the US and also that he used trade as a lever to make them agree. Pakistan has backed US claims of brokering the ceasefire but India has denied it.

"The talks regarding cessation of military action were held directly between India and Pakistan under the existing channels established between both militaries," Misri said.

Last month, Trump told reporters: "I said, 'Come on, we're going to do a lot of trade with you guys [India and Pakistan]. Let's stop it. Let's stop it. If you stop it, we'll do a trade. If you don't stop it, we're not going to do any trade.'"

Delhi is rushing to negotiate a trade deal with the Trump administration before a 90-day pause on higher tariffs ends on 9 July.

Kashmir is a contentious issue for both India and and Pakistan, who claim the region in whole, but administer it only in part. Bilateral talks over several decades have not led to any resolution.

India treats Kashmir as an integral part of its territory and rules out any negotiation, particularly through a third party.

Tensions escalated between the South Asian neighbours after India blamed Pakistan for a 22 April attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir in which 26 people, mainly tourists, were killed. Islamabad denied the charge._Agencies.