Bangladesh, July 2 -- In a sharp rebuke to claims made by US President Donald Trump, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has categorically denied any link between the ongoing US-India trade negotiations and the military ceasefire that followed a tense four-day confrontation between India and Pakistan in May. The clarification comes as Washington and New Delhi scramble to finalize a trade agreement ahead of a looming July 9 deadline, under the threat of reciprocal tariffs.

President Trump has repeatedly stated that his administration used trade incentives as leverage to persuade both India and Pakistan to step back from the brink of war. According to the president, the US played the role of a mediator by offering enhanced trade ...