New Delhi, June 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has conveyed to US President Donald Trump that India does not seek and will never accept any mediation on matters related to Pakistan, according to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, on Wednesday.

Misri revealed that the two leaders spoke over the phone for 35 minutes, their first conversation since the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor.

The call took place after a scheduled in-person meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the G7 Summit was cancelled due to Trump’s early return to the US.

“The phone conversation was held at the request of President Trump,” said Misri, adding that PM Modi used the opportunity to detail India’s measured military response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 innocent tourists.

The attack was claimed by The Resistance Front, a group affiliated with the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.

“Prime Minister Modi said that on the night of May 6-7, India had targeted only terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. India’s actions were very measured, precise, and non-escalatory,” Misri said.

“India had made it clear that it would respond to Pakistan’s ‘goli’ with ‘gola’ (a strong, proportionate military response),” he said.

Operation Sindoor saw India strike nine high-value terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and PoK. In response, Pakistan launched military strikes not only on Indian military infrastructure but also on civilian and religious sites, prompting further escalation.

The Foreign Secretary also disclosed that on the night of May 9, US Vice President Vance conveyed to PM Modi that Pakistan could launch a major retaliatory strike.

“Prime Minister Modi told him clearly that if this happens, India will respond with even greater force. India’s strong counterattack on the night of May 9-10 caused heavy damage to Pakistan’s military. Several of their airbases were rendered inoperable,” Misri said.

He noted that following India’s forceful retaliation, Pakistan approached India with a ceasefire request.

“Prime Minister Modi stated that the ceasefire was agreed to only at the request of Pakistan and that India does not want mediation. He made it clear that at no point during this episode were India-US trade talks or third-party mediation discussed,” Misri stated.

“The halt to military action was discussed directly between the two countries through existing military channels,” he added.

Reiterating India’s long-standing position, Misri said, “Prime Minister Modi stressed that India has never accepted mediation, does not accept it, and will never accept it. There is complete political unanimity in India on this issue.”

President Trump, according to Misri, fully understood India’s position and expressed support for its fight against terrorism. PM Modi also informed Trump that India will consider any terror act emanating from Pakistan as an act of war, and that Operation Sindoor remains ongoing.

Trump reportedly asked if PM Modi could stop by the US on his return from Canada, but the Prime Minister expressed his inability due to prior commitments. However, both leaders agreed to try to meet soon.

The conversation also covered international developments, including the Iran-Israel conflict and the Russia-Ukraine war.

Both leaders agreed that direct dialogue between Moscow and Kyiv is necessary for peace.

“They also discussed the Indo-Pacific and the vital role of the QUAD. Prime Minister Modi invited President Trump to India for the next QUAD summit, and President Trump accepted the invitation,” Misri said.

Kananaskis, June 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korea’s President Lee Jae-myung “reaffirmed their commitment” to deepening the strategic partnership between their countries on Tuesday.

The Prime Minister in a post on X said: “President Lee Jae-myung and I had a very good meeting in Canada. India and the Republic of Korea seek to work together in sectors like commerce, investment, technology, green hydrogen, shipbuilding and more. @Jaemyung_Lee.”

The Prime Minister’s Office in a post on X said:” Boosting India-Republic of Korea relations! PM @narendramodi and President @Jaemyung_Lee of the Republic of Korea had a productive meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada. They agreed to strengthen cooperation in areas such as trade and commerce, investment, technology, green hydrogen and more.”

The two leaders discussed regional and global issues, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on X.

PM Modi and President Lee “reaffirmed their commitment to deepening India-South Korea Special Strategic Partnership by exploring new avenues for cooperation through partnerships in areas of trade and economy, critical and emerging technologies” including “culture and P2P (people-to-people contacts), among others,” MEA Spokesperson Jaiswal said.

The meeting with President Lee was one of several PM Modi held with leaders at the G7 Summit on Tuesday.

President Lee offered “deep condolences” to the victims of a recent Indian plane crash during his talks with PM Modi on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada on Tuesday, the South Korea’s Presidential Office said.

President Lee conveyed the message regarding last week’s Air India crash that killed more than 240 people, as he met PM Modi to discuss bilateral cooperation.

Noting that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the two countries’ special strategic partnership, President Lee expressed hope for elevating bilateral relations to a new level “across the board”.

PM Modi thanked President Lee for his condolences and expressed his desire to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries, the office said.

India and South Korea share strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region, facing some common challenges.

Bilateral trade reached nearly $27.5 billion last year.

President Lee highlighted that around 550 Korean companies are operating in India and emphasised the need to boost high-level communication while expanding cooperation in areas, including the economy, advanced technology, defence, the arms industry, and culture.

“The two leaders shared the view that people-to-people and cultural exchanges are crucial and agreed to continue advancing such exchanges,” the presidential office said in a statement.

PM Modi invited President Lee to visit India, and the South Korean President expressed gratitude for the invitation, according to the office.

South Korea is one of the major investors in India, with several companies having manufacturing operations in automobiles, electronics, and other sectors.

“South Korea’s major conglomerates are ramping up efforts to expand into India, positioning the country as a key player in the evolving global supply chain,” according to the Chosun Daily.

“India is emerging as a viable alternative to China, particularly amid escalating trade tensions between Washington and Beijing,” it said about the prospects for growing investments.

Asian Legal Business quoted Zunu Lee, partner at South Korean firm Yoon & Yang, as saying, “The alignment between Korea’s ‘Act Southern’ and India’s ‘Act East’ policies has created new momentum for bilateral economic cooperation.”

Tehran, June 17: India has urged its nationals in Iran and Persons of Indian Origin(PIO) to evacuate Tehran, shift to a safer location and be in touch with the Embassy, following escalating tensions in the region.

As the Israel-Iran conflict entered its fifth day, the hostilities between the two nations continued to escalate as several missiles from Iran were fired at Israel, triggering air raid sirens in Haifa and dozens of other cities and communities across northern Israel and the occupied Golan Heights, confirmed by the Israeli military.

“All Indian Nationals and PIOs who can move out of Tehran using their own resources, are advised to move to a safe location outside the City,” the Indian Embassy in Iran posted on X.

“All Indian Nationals who are in Tehran and not in touch with the Embassy are requested to contact the Embassy of India in Tehran immediately and provide their Location and Contact numbers. Kindly contact: +989010144557; +989128109115; +989128109109,” it added.

Additionally, US President Donald Trump has also urged the people to evacuate Tehran as the hostilities escalated.

“Iran should have signed the deal I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” Trump posted on Truth Social on Tuesday.

The US President also announced that he would cut short his visit to the Group of 7 (G7) summit in Canada to closely monitor the situation amid the escalating tension in the Middle East.

“I have to be back as soon as I can. I have to be back early for obvious reasons,” Trump told reporters at the summit convening in the Canadian Rockies.

Meanwhile, in the latest developments, Bazan, Israel’s largest oil refinery company, announced that all of its facilities at the Haifa Port had been completely shut down due to the damage caused by an Iranian missile strike.