Has China played a role in the conflict with Pakistan? EAM Jaishankar's 'they're close' response

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday (May 26) responded on China's role in the India-Pakistan clash after Operation Sindoor. In an interview with the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, EAM Jaishankar said, “You know, many of the weapons systems that Pakistan has are of Chinese origin" even as he did not name the country directly.

"You know, many of the weapons systems that Pakistan has are of Chinese origin, and the two countries are very close. You can draw your conclusions from that," he said.

On questions if India and Pakistan was at a brink of nuclear war, Jaishankar said, “Very, very far away. I'm frankly astonished by your question." "At no point was a nuclear level reached. There is a narrative as if everything that happens in our part of the world leads directly to a nuclear problem. That disturbs me a lot because it encourages terrible activities like terrorism," he said.

The EAM also ruled out US mediation in the ceasefire between India and Pakistan. He said, “The cessation of firing was agreed upon between the military commanders of both sides through direct contact. The morning before, we effectively hit and incapacitated Pakistan's main airbases and air defence system. So, who should I thank for the cessation of hostilities? I thank the Indian military because it was the Indian military action that made Pakistan say: We are ready to stop.”

EAM Jaishankar had earlier in said in an interview, "Rubio had spoken to me, Vance had spoken to our prime minister. They had their view, and they were talking to us, and they were talking to Pakistanis, as indeed were some other countries. The United States was not alone in this. I think there were some countries in the Gulf. There were some others as well."