Operation Sindoor fallout: Did Modi snub Donald Trump by going to a tiny European nation no India PM visited before?

After concluding his visit to Canada for the G7 nations summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose not to go to the US despite being urged by President Donald Trump. Instead, he flew to Croatia, which was never visited by an Indian premier in the past.

This was the first time that Modi and Trump spoke following Operation Sindoor. The two leaders were scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the G7 Summit but it did not happen as Trump cut short his trip amid rising Israel-Iran tensions. The timing of the call is also interesting as it came hours before a meeting between Trump and Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir.

PM Modi spoke to Trump during a phone call on Tuesday, wherein he "strongly" conveyed India's stance that the Kashmir issue is a bilateral dispute between India and Pakistan. "The halt to military action was discussed directly between India and Pakistan, through existing channels of the two armies, and at the request of Pakistan. India has never accepted mediation, and does not, and will never accept it," he said.

Modi added that there was complete political consensus in India on this issue.

The PM also told Trump "clearly" that during Operation Sindoor, there were no talks "at any level on the India-America trade deal or on the mediation between India and Pakistan by America".

During the 35-minute call, Trump requested Modi to stop over in the US while returning from Canada. However, Modi said he said he would not be able to as he has a scheduled itinerary. He is set to reach Croatia on June 18.

The Prime Minister invited Trump to India for the next QUAD summit and the US president said he is looking forward to meeting Modi. Focusing on the Indo-Pacific, the Quad is a grouping of India, the US, Australia and Japan, often seen as a strategic alliance against China's increasing influence in the region.

India