India has firmly rejected China’s claim that it played a mediating role in ending the military conflict between India and Pakistan earlier this year, reiterating that the ceasefire was the result of direct military-level communication between the two countries, with no third-party involvement.

The clarification comes after China echoed similar assertions made earlier by US President Donald Trump, projecting itself as a peace broker during the May conflict between New Delhi and Islamabad. Indian government sources, however, stressed that Pakistan had itself reached out for a ceasefire following Operation Sindoor.

According to sources, Islamabad requested a truce through established military channels, and there was no external mediation at any stage. They underlined that India’s long-standing position against third-party intervention in matters concerning India and Pakistan remains unchanged.

India’s position on the ceasefire

New Delhi has consistently maintained that the hostilities, which began on May 7, were resolved through direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries.

At a press briefing on May 13, the Ministry of External Affairs had clarified that the understanding on the ceasefire, including its timing and wording, was finalised during a phone call between the two DGMOs on May 10 at 15:35 hours. The government reiterated that no other country played any role in facilitating the agreement.

Indian officials have repeatedly emphasised that all issues related to India and Pakistan are to be addressed bilaterally, without any external involvement.

China reiterates mediation claims

China’s assertion came through remarks by its foreign minister, who claimed that Beijing had mediated peace in several conflict zones, including between India and Pakistan, during a period marked by heightened global instability.

While outlining China’s foreign policy approach at a symposium in Beijing, he said China had taken what he described as an objective stance to address both immediate conflicts and their root causes, citing its role in easing tensions in multiple regions.

India has not accepted these claims, making it clear that the India-Pakistan ceasefire followed established military protocols and bilateral engagement alone.

China’s role during the conflict under scrutiny

China’s involvement during the May conflict has also come under international scrutiny. A recent report by a bipartisan US commission stated that Beijing used the four-day confrontation between India and Pakistan as an opportunity to test and showcase its modern defence systems.

The report noted that several Chinese-made weapons were used in active combat for the first time during the conflict, providing real-world operational data. It further claimed that China later explored the possibility of offering advanced military platforms to Pakistan in the weeks following the hostilities.

Chinese diplomatic missions reportedly highlighted the performance of these systems after the conflict, which the report suggested was aimed at boosting defence exports. Beijing, however, downplayed allegations that it treated the conflict as a “live laboratory” for its weapons, avoiding direct responses to remarks made by senior Indian military officials on the issue.

Indian defence leadership has stated that China extended extensive support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, describing Beijing’s approach as indirect and strategic, aimed at exerting pressure on India without direct involvement.

Bangladesh’s former prime minister Khaleda Zia will be laid to rest on Wednesday with full state honours, the interim government announced. The funeral will take place in Dhaka, with several foreign dignitaries expected to attend, including India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar and Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar.

Khaleda Zia, a three-time prime minister and longtime chief of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, died in Dhaka on Tuesday after a prolonged illness. She was 80.

Funeral prayers to be held after Zohr prayers

According to the interim government, Zia’s Namaz-e-Janaza will be held on Wednesday after Zohr prayers at the South Plaza of Parliament and the adjoining Manik Mia Avenue. Following the funeral prayers, she will be buried beside her husband, former president and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, at Zia Udyan in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.

The decision was taken at a special meeting of the interim government’s advisory council. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party was represented at the meeting by its secretary general, who attended as a special invitee.

Foreign leaders to attend funeral in Dhaka

Several foreign dignitaries are expected to attend the funeral ceremony. India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar will travel to Dhaka on Wednesday to represent the government and people of India at the funeral.

Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar is also scheduled to attend the Janaza, according to officials.

Bangladesh announces state mourning

Earlier, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus announced three days of state mourning following the death of Khaleda Zia. A one-day general holiday has been declared on Wednesday, the day of her funeral prayers.

During the mourning period, the national flag will be flown at half-mast on all government, semi-government and autonomous institutions, educational institutions, and on government and private buildings across the country, as well as at Bangladesh missions abroad.

Special prayers will be organised in mosques nationwide for the eternal peace of Khaleda Zia, with similar prayers to be held at places of worship of other faiths. Condolence books will also be opened at Bangladesh missions abroad.

The government has assured full cooperation for all arrangements related to Zia’s funeral and burial.

Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness. She died at around 6 am while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Dhaka, the BNP said in an official statement.

Khaleda Zia had been hospitalised for over a month after being admitted with serious infections affecting her heart and lungs. She was also suffering from pneumonia and multiple long-term health complications, including liver cirrhosis, diabetes, arthritis, and chronic ailments related to her kidneys, heart, lungs, and eyesight. A team of specialists from several countries was overseeing her treatment, according to media reports.

The BNP, confirming her death, said prayers were being offered for the forgiveness of her soul and urged supporters and citizens to remember her in their prayers.

Prime Minister Modi expresses grief

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled Khaleda Zia’s demise, describing her as a towering political figure and Bangladesh’s first woman prime minister. In a post on X, Modi extended condolences to her family and the people of Bangladesh, noting that her contributions to the country’s development and India-Bangladesh relations would be remembered.

He also recalled a meeting with Khaleda Zia in Dhaka in 2015 and said her vision and legacy would continue to guide bilateral ties between the two nations.

A political journey shaped by upheaval

Khaleda Zia formally entered politics after the assassination of her husband, former President Ziaur Rahman, in 1981. Ziaur Rahman had founded the BNP, and following his death, Khaleda Zia joined the party to hold it together during a period of uncertainty. She went on to become BNP vice-president in 1984 and its chairperson later that year.

Her rise coincided with a broader pro-democracy movement in Bangladesh. Along with Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League, Khaleda Zia played a key role in the popular uprising that ended military rule under Hossain Mohammad Ershad in 1990. Their cooperation later turned into a bitter rivalry that dominated Bangladesh’s political landscape for decades.

Three-time prime minister and key reforms

Khaleda Zia became Bangladesh’s first female prime minister after the BNP emerged victorious in the 1991 parliamentary elections. During her tenure, she introduced the parliamentary system of government, replacing the presidential model, and ensured that executive power rested with the prime minister.

She also played a role in introducing the caretaker government system to oversee free and fair elections, lifted restrictions on foreign investment, and made primary education compulsory and free.

After a brief and contested second term in 1996, Khaleda Zia returned to power in 2001 with a decisive mandate, beginning her third term as prime minister. However, this phase was marked by allegations of corruption, rising militancy, and political violence, including a deadly grenade attack at an opposition rally in 2004.

Legal battles and declining health

Following political instability, an army-backed interim government took charge in 2006, and Khaleda Zia was later jailed on corruption charges. Although she was released ahead of the 2008 elections, she never returned to power.

In subsequent years, she faced multiple convictions, which she and her party described as politically motivated. Due to worsening health, she was shifted to house arrest on humanitarian grounds in 2020 and later freed in 2024 following a change in political circumstances. Earlier this year, Bangladesh’s Supreme Court acquitted her and her son Tarique Rahman in key corruption cases.

Early life and family

Born in 1945 in Jalpaiguri, then part of British India, Khaleda Zia moved to East Bengal with her family after Partition. She completed her schooling in Dinajpur and married Ziaur Rahman in 1960. She is survived by her elder son Tarique Rahman, his wife Zubaida Rahman, and their daughter. Her younger son, Arafat Rahman Koko, passed away earlier.

With her death, Bangladesh has lost one of its most influential and polarising political leaders, whose legacy shaped the country’s politics for over three decades.