Trump said India asked him to help mediate the Kashmir conflict with Pakistan. India quickly said that's not true.
- The Indian government on Monday rejected President Donald Trump's claim that Prime Minister Narenda Modi had asked the president if he would like to help mediate a historic dispute with Pakistan.
- During a meeting with Pakistan's prime minister in Washington, Trump said that Modi had asked him if he'd help resolve the Kashmir conflict.
- Shortly thereafter, a spokesperson for the Indian government said, "no such request has been made" by Modi.
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India's government on Monday rejected a claim from President Donald Trump almost as soon as he made it.
While meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in the White House, Trump claimed Modi recently asked him if he would step in and work as mediator in resolving the Kashmir conflict.
"I was with Prime Minister Modi two weeks ago," Trump said. "He actually said, 'Would you like to be a mediator or abitrator?' I said, "Where?' He said, 'Kashmir.' Because this has been going on for many, many years."
Not long after, Indian external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted that "no such request has been made" by Modi to Trump.
"We have seen @POTUS's remarks to the press that he is ready to mediate, if requested by India & Pakistan, on Kashmir issue. No such request has been made by PM @narendramodi to US President," Kumar said.
Kumar went on to say, "It has been India's consistent position that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed only bilaterally. Any engagement with Pakistan would require an end to cross border terrorism. The Shimla Agreement & the Lahore Declaration provide the basis to resolve all issues between India & Pakistan bilaterally."
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from INSIDER.
Kashmir, which is home to 18 million people, is one of the most disputed territories in the world and has been fought over by India and Pakistan since 1947. The region has been partioned, with India controlling roughly 45% of it and Pakistan controls 35%. China also seized portions of the territory via a war with India in 1962, and controls roughly 20% of the region.
The ongoing dispute over Kashmir continues to lead to violent and deadly clashes, which earlier this year raised concerns that India and Pakistan - two nuclear powers - were headed toward war.