Fury in India as Trump claims Modi asked for Kashmir mediation

NEW DELHI: India´s foreign minister issued a strenuous denial to an infuriated opposition in parliament on Tuesday, after US President Donald Trump said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invited him to mediate  over Kashmir.

Trump set off a political storm in India by claiming during a meeting in Washington on Monday with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan that Modi had asked him two weeks ago to mediate in the Kashmir dispute.

"I'd like to categorically assure the house that no such request was made by the prime minister to the US president," Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar told the Indian parliament, barely able to make his voice heard over the opposition tumult.

Jaishankar insisted the conflict could only be settled bilaterally.

Trump´s comments touched on one of the most sensitive topics for New Delhi.

Indian opposition leaders demanded that Modi make a personal statement to parliament to confirm that there was no change in New Delhi´s longstanding policy of only direct talks with Islamabad.