Trump Claimed the Ceasefire—India's LoP Rahul Gandhi Lambasts India’s Political Leadership On Image Management

U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated claims of brokering the ceasefire between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack sparked sharp criticism in the Indian Parliament on Tuesday, as the country's Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused the Indian government of strategic weakness and prioritising image management over national security.

Referring directly to Trump’s assertion--made publicly at least 26 times--that he used trade pressure to bring about a halt to India’s cross-border military action, Gandhi challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to deny the claim explicitly. 

Image Source: Dr Nimo Yadav / Sansad Screengrab

“If he's lying, let the PM say that he is lying,” Gandhi demanded, adding, “If Mr Modi has even half the courage of Indira Gandhi, he should come to Parliament and clearly say that we did not lose any aircraft, and that the ceasefire was not done by Trump.”

Operation Sindoor was launched by India on May 7 in response to a terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians. The government has maintained that the ceasefire understanding, reached on May 10, was a result of direct military communication between India and Pakistan through the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO). 

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had earlier rejected any link between the operation and trade talks with the U.S., stating that the ceasefire request came from the Pakistani side.

Rahul Gandhi, however, used Tuesday’s special debate in the Lok Sabha to question not just the Trump narrative but the government’s military posture itself. 

“You told Pakistanis that we won’t hit your military infrastructure, that we won’t attack your air defence systems--then sent our pilots into enemy airspace,” Gandhi said. “You tied their hands mid-fight.”

He quoted an Indian defence attache in Indonesia as stating that the Air Force lost aircraft in the operation due to political constraints placed on military targeting. 

“The Indian Air Force made no mistake. The mistake was made by the political leadership that constrained India's defence forces,” he added.

Citing Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s earlier statement in the House, Gandhi raised questions about the decision to communicate with Pakistan immediately after the strikes. 

“Operation Sindoor began at 1:05 am and lasted 22 minutes. By 1:35 am, we had called Pakistan and told them we hit non-military targets and didn’t want escalation. Why reveal your playbook mid-battle?” he asked.

He criticised the government’s decision to publicly limit the scope of Operation Sindoor. 

“You didn’t just strike; you showed your limits,” Gandhi said, drawing a contrast with the 1971 Indo-Pak war. “In 1971, there was political will. 

Indira Gandhi gave Sam Manekshaw full freedom--even when U.S. naval forces were entering the Bay of Bengal.”

Taking aim at the international response, Gandhi noted that while terrorism was universally condemned, “not one country condemned Pakistan” for the Pahalgam attack. 

“What does that mean? It means the world equates India with Pakistan,” he said, suggesting the government failed to build sufficient global pressure against Islamabad.

The man behind the Pahalgam terror attack is Pakistan General Asim Munir. Recently, he had a lunch meeting with US President Donald Trump.

PM Modi hasn't said anything. He didn't say, 'How dare Mr. Trump invite him to his office?

: LoP Shri @RahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/jhvTTeHGsn

— Congress (@INCIndia) July 29, 2025

He also cast doubt on the government’s claim that Operation Sindoor deterred Pakistan, pointing out that Pakistan’s Army Chief had recently met with Trump. 

“The Foreign Minister says we’ve deterred Pakistan, but Pakistan’s Army Chief is having lunch with Trump,” he remarked.

Rahul Gandhi ended his speech by calling out what he said was the real motive behind the government’s response: “The goal of the entire exercise was to protect the image of the Prime Minister.”

Throughout his remarks, Gandhi emphasised his support for the armed forces and referenced personal conversations with the families of Pahalgam victims, adding emotional weight to his political critique. 

“Mercilessly young people, old people, murdered in cold blood. And we, the Opposition, stood by the government like a rock. But we will also ask: was our response equal to the moment?”