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'Don't be guided by narratives': No power can dictate terms to India, says VP Dhankhar amid Trump's claims
As US President Donald Trump continues to make bizarre claims about his role in brokering the India-Pakistan ceasefire in May, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday asserted that no power in the world can dictate terms to India on how to manage its internal matters.
Speaking to the 2024 batch of Indian Defence Estates Service officers at the Vice-President's Enclave, Dhankhar said, 'Don't be guided by narratives outside. All decisions in this country, a sovereign nation, are taken by its leadership. There is no power on the planet that can dictate how India handles its affairs. We live among nations as part of a comity—we work together, we work in tandem. We have mutual respect, diplomatic dialogues. But at the end of the day, we are sovereign; we take our own decisions.'
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Dhankhar did not directly name Trump, but his comments came a day after the US President again claimed credit for the ceasefire and said five jets were shot down during the conflict.
On Saturday, the Congress demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi make a statement in Parliament to clarify the matter.
Taking a veiled swipe at the Opposition, Dhankhar remarked, 'Is it necessary to respond to every provocation? In cricket, a smart batsman leaves the bad balls—tempting, but best avoided. Those who go for them often end up caught behind or in the slips.'
Addressing the young officers, the Vice-President warned that challenging times may test national unity. He contrasted ongoing global conflicts—such as Israel-Palestine and Russia-Ukraine—with India's calibrated response to the April Pahalgam terror attack under 'Operation Sindoor'.
'We've seen prolonged global wars with massive destruction. In contrast, India acted with restraint and precision. We struck Bahawalpur and Muridke and then paused—Operation Sindoor is still ongoing. Some ask why we didn't escalate. The answer lies in our ethos: we are a nation of peace, inspired by Buddha, Mahavira, and Gandhi. We do not wish to harm even living beings—how can we target human beings? Our goal is to awaken a sense of humanity, not to destroy,' he said.
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