India refutes claims Trump's tariff threat helped secure India-Pakistan ceasefire
What's the story
India has firmly rejected any connection between United States tariffs and the recent ceasefire with Pakistan.
The clarification came after US President Donald Trump claimed his tariff threats were instrumental in securing a peace deal between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that while there were talks with the US during Operation Sindoor, "the issue of tariffs never came up in these discussions."
Court submission
US court claims tariffs were key to ceasefire
The Trump administration said in a declaration on May 23 that the truce was struck after the US President "interceded."
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick made the claims before the Court of International Trade in a last-ditch attempt to avoid a legal setback to the global tariffs proposed by Trump.
"For example, India and Pakistan...reached a tenuous ceasefire on May 10...only achieved after President Trump interceded and offered both nations trading access with the US to avert a full-scale war."
Trade negotiations
US trade court blocks Trump's sweeping tariffs
He argued that "an adverse ruling that constrains the President's powers could lead India and Pakistan to question the validity of Trump's offer, threatening the security of an entire region and the lives of millions."
The US Court of International Trade, however, ruled that most of Trump's tariff policies were illegal, including a 10% tariff on all trade partners and levies on Chinese imports.
Court
White House now has 10 days to stop tariffs
A three-judge panel ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a 1977 law Trump used to justify the tariffs, did not grant him the authority to levy the massive import duties.
With that, the court annulled with immediate effect all of Trump's tariff actions issued since January.
The White House now has 10 days to complete the formal process of stopping the tariffs.