Trump's India-Pakistan ceasefire angers top officials in New Delhi – Bloomberg

Many senior officials in New Delhi were "boiling with outrage" over US President Donald Trump's announcement of a complete ceasefire between India and Pakistan, Bloomberg reported, citing anonymous sources.

Those familiar with the situation say that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration was unhappy with both US attempts to facilitate de-escalation and the way the announcement was made.

"Negotiations between India and Pakistan continued behind the scenes even as drones and missiles flew back and forth, attacking military bases on both sides in the fiercest fighting since the 1971 war," the anonymous sources told the publication.

In the Indian capital, Trump's actions were perceived as an attempt to overshadow Modi.

"Rather, it was a move by Trump aimed at overshadowing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, undermining India's long-standing policy of resolving the territorial dispute over Kashmir through bilateral talks and, perhaps worst of all, putting the arch-enemies on an equal footing, a move that officials in New Delhi have resisted as the country's economy grows rapidly, outpacing Pakistan's," the publication writes.

Nationalist TV host Arnab Goswami, known for his support for Modi, criticized Trump for "overstepping his authority."

"How can Trump equate what happened in Pahalgam with what happened after that? This is a clear abuse of power," the host said.

According to sources, Pakistani generals contacted their Indian counterparts on May 9, and within hours, the parties reached an agreement to cease hostilities. Trump announced the agreement on Truth Social before any official statements from India or Pakistan.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio later confirmed that the agreement was reached with the participation of Trump, Vance, Modi, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, General Munir, and others.

Over the past 48 hours, @VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit…

— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) May 10, 2025

Rubio said the sides had agreed to begin talks on neutral territory. News of the ceasefire sparked fireworks and celebrations in Pakistan. Sharif called it a "historic victory" and thanked the United States, China and Saudi Arabia.

In India, the reaction was the opposite, with officials denying US involvement in the negotiations and resenting the Americans being the first to announce the deal. Indian Foreign Minister Vikram Misri did not mention the US role during a briefing.

The White House did not comment on the situation, but a State Department spokesman confirmed that the US continues to call on both sides to adhere to the ceasefire.

On May 11, Trump made a new post in which he expressed pride in the "strong and steadfast leadership of India and Pakistan" and promised to support the search for a "solution" to the Kashmir issue, as well as to increase trade with both countries. In India, this was perceived as a diplomatic victory for Pakistan and a humiliation of Modi's role. Opposition politicians in India criticized foreign interference.

"We don't need the intervention of the US or any other country to find a solution to Kashmir," said opposition MP Priyanka Chaturvedi.

Manish Tewari, a member of parliament from the opposition Indian National Congress party, added that Trump should be reminded that "Kashmir is not a biblical, millennial conflict."

Journalists note that it is unclear whether this dispute will have an impact on negotiations on a trade agreement that India is trying to conclude with the US to avoid new tariffs.

The publication notes that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking to strengthen India's position as an attractive destination for foreign investors leaving China. This is evidenced, in particular, by Apple's large-scale investment in iPhone production in India.

According to journalists, one potential flashpoint for a new conflict is the Indus Water Treaty, which India has refused to renew as part of the ceasefire agreement. Pakistan has said that any attempt by India to stop the flow of water from the Himalayas will be considered an "act of war."

"This conflict will become the template for the next crisis," said former Pentagon official Clary.

• The aggravation of relations between Pakistan and India occurred after an attack on a group of tourists in Kashmir, which resulted in the death of 26 people.
• India blamed Pakistan for the attack and took a number of measures . In particular, it stopped issuing new visas to Pakistani citizens and canceled those previously issued.
• Pakistan's defense minister has denied involvement in the April 22 attack in Kashmir and called for an international investigation into the attack . However, he believes that an Indian military invasion of Pakistan is inevitable.
• India attacked Pakistan on the evening of May 6 as part of Operation Sindoor. Pakistan responded with a missile strike.
• On May 7, the Prime Minister of Pakistan announced that the country's Air Force had destroyed Indian aircraft.
• On the afternoon of May 10, US President Trump announced that, through his country's mediation, India and Pakistan had agreed to a complete and immediate ceasefire. This was later confirmed in New Delhi and Islamabad.
• However, in the evening it became known about Pakistan's strikes on the disputed province of Kashmir – the air defense was operating in the center of the capital of the part of the region controlled by India .