By Kundan Kashmiri
Kashmir Watcher & President, Kashmiri Pandit Conference (KPC)

In a diplomatically unsettling and strategically controversial move, former U.S. President Donald Trump chose to raise the Kashmir issue amidst heightened military tensions between India and Pakistan. At a time when the subcontinent stood precariously close to open conflict, Trump’s sudden and unsolicited offer to mediate—coupled with his erroneous claim that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had requested such mediation—was not only diplomatically tone-deaf but also factually incorrect. The Government of India immediately denied any such request, reaffirming its long-standing policy: Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan, and no third-party intervention will ever be acceptable.
President Trump’s remarks went even further. He claimed to have played a role in defusing tensions between the two countries and implied his involvement in pushing for a ceasefire. These declarations were, in essence, a gross overstatement. The eventual de-escalation between India and Pakistan was a direct outcome of India’s calibrated military response, firm diplomacy, and measured restraint—not American intervention. Trump’s tendency to project himself as a global peacemaker, even when unwarranted, appeared more like a publicity stunt than a constructive diplomatic effort.
More importantly, the timing and intention behind Trump’s remarks cannot be ignored. Analysts across the globe viewed these statements as a calculated maneuver driven by several underlying factors: pressure from Pakistan’s deep state, the U.S. dependency on Pakistan’s logistical support in the Afghan peace process, and Trump’s own domestic political compulsions. By pandering to certain vote banks—especially Pakistani-American and Muslim communities—Trump sought electoral mileage at the expense of India’s sovereignty and dignity.
This reckless invocation of Kashmir played directly into Pakistan’s hands. It revived an issue that had gradually been losing traction on the international stage, offering Islamabad a platform to again propagate its victimhood narrative. Despite being the epicenter of cross-border terrorism, Pakistan found in Trump’s words an opportunity to mislead global opinion and undermine India’s principled and constitutionally-rooted position on Jammu and Kashmir.
India, a sovereign democracy that has upheld constitutional values under the most trying circumstances, rightly views such interventions with grave concern. President Trump’s statements—though veiled in the rhetoric of peace—disrespected India’s sovereign red lines and emboldened a state that sponsors terrorism across borders. For a global power like the United States, such diplomatic carelessness is both irresponsible and unacceptable.
This episode must serve as a lesson for Indian diplomacy. Friendships in international relations are transactional, not emotional. India must remain eternally vigilant and uncompromising when it comes to safeguarding its national interest and territorial integrity. We must challenge misinformation, counter propaganda, and expose geopolitical opportunism wherever and whenever it appears.
Under the bold and patriotic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India must issue clear diplomatic signals that Kashmir is an internal matter—non-negotiable, non-contestable, and beyond the purview of foreign commentary or mediation. It is imperative that the Indian government formally conveys its dissatisfaction and disappointment with such misleading narratives, even when they come from erstwhile allies or powerful world leaders.
At every multilateral forum, be it the United Nations, G20, or bilateral summits, India must assert its sovereign stance and reiterate that Jammu and Kashmir is an inalienable part of the Indian Union. No foreign leader, regardless of political stature or global influence, has the authority or moral standing to misrepresent the will of over a billion Indians.
Let the world know: India, under its strong, strategic, and decisive leadership, will never compromise on national dignity, unity, or territorial integrity. Kashmir is not a disputed playground for global diplomacy—it is the living crown of Bharat, spiritually, culturally, and constitutionally. Now, always, and forever.

[ Kundan Kashmiri]
Kashmir Watcher, Freelance writer & President Kashmiri Pandit Conference ( KPC )
Mobile No 8802267955
Email —kundankashmiri@gnail.com