'Trump may have blackmailed India into ceasefire': Congress leader Jairam Ramesh slams PM Modi

Ramesh's remarks come after US President Donald Trump said that he "used trade" to broker a "ceasefire" between India and Pakistan.

New Delhi: Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar over the US 's claims of having played mediator between India and Pakistan, alleging that US President Donald Trump might have "coerced and blackmailed" India for coming to terms with the "ceasefire".

"A few days ago, we learnt of the ceasefire with Pakistan from the President of the United States. At a public event in Saudi Arabia yesterday, the President revealed that he may have coerced and blackmailed India into this ceasefire using the carrot-and-stick of sanctions and trade deals," Ramesh posted on X. 
"What do the typically loquacious PM and EAM have to say about this revelation? Did they mortgage India's security interests in the face of US pressure?" he added. 

Ramesh's remarks come after Trump said that he "used trade" to broker a "ceasefire" between India and Pakistan. "Just days ago, my administration brokered a historic ceasefire to stop the escalating violence between India and Pakistan, and I used trade to a large extent. I said, 'Let us make a deal. ' Let us not trade nuclear missiles. Let us trade the things you make so beautifully. They both have powerful, smart leaders. It all stopped. I hope it remains that way," Trump said while addressing the gathering at the Saudi-US Investment Forum 2025.

On Tuesday, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury asked the government to clarify remarks made by US leaders on mediation for India-Pakistan talks and said the announcement that the two countries had reached an understanding to stop military action was first made by US President Donald Trump. He said several questions remain unanswered, and people expected a reply in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Address to the Nation on Monday.

"Today, PM Modi went to Adampur air base. We wanted him to visit Kashmir as well. We want PM Modi to meet the families of those who have lost their lives and listen to them. Everyone wants to listen to him. The entire country has supported him. People from every religion and section have supported PM Modi, but some questions will remain unanswered. We expected PM Modi to answer them in the address to the nation," Chowdhury said in a post on X.

Meanwhile, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday refused to comment on the US President Donald Trump taking credit for the truce between India and Pakistan, saying that the matter was confidential and would be discussed in the all-party meeting."This is a confidential matter. We will discuss everything in the all-party meeting. It is not right to speak about it here," Kharge told reporters here. CPI leader D Raja said that the PM should answer questions raised by opposition and for that a special session of Parliament was needed.