New Delhi: A senior US State Department official has reaffirmed Washington’s long-standing position that Kashmir remains a matter for India and Pakistan to resolve bilaterally, making it clear that the United States has no plans to insert itself into the dispute.
Speaking at a press briefing, the official said President Donald Trump already has “enough crises on his hands” but would be willing to assist only if both New Delhi and Islamabad specifically requested it. “We will leave that up to India and Pakistan to solve,” the official noted.
Reiterating US policy, the official said Washington’s engagement with South Asia is driven by its own strategic interests. “We continue to view India and Pakistan separately in our bilateral relationships, through an America First lens that prioritises our interests,” the statement added.
The remarks followed Trump’s address at the UN General Assembly, where he once again claimed that his administration had played a role in easing recent military escalations between the two countries. “It is a fact that the United States was involved in that crisis and absolutely helped broker that ceasefire,” the official said, echoing the president’s remarks.
India, however, has consistently rejected any suggestion of third-party mediation. New Delhi maintains that cross-border terrorism and related security issues must remain a bilateral matter.
The latest comments come against the backdrop of heightened tensions earlier this year. On May 7, India launched Operation Sindoor in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people. The Indian military struck terrorist infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, reportedly killing over 100 militants.
Since May 10, Trump has claimed that he “helped settle” the escalation by warning both sides that US trade prospects could be affected if the conflict worsened. India has publicly refuted that assertion, stating the ceasefire was the result of direct communication between Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations and his Indian counterpart.
