Overview

• BJP MP Nishikant Dubey shared a purportedly declassified 1987 letter in which Rajiv Gandhi asked President Reagan to involve American experts in bilateral narcotics consultations with Pakistan.
• Ronald Reagan’s reply offered support and outlined procedures used in Europe to ease tensions without referring to formal third-party mediation.
• Congress figures including Udit Raj and Jairam Ramesh said the letter contains no plea for US mediation and challenged the BJP’s interpretation of its contents.
• New Delhi’s government reaffirmed that all recent ceasefire talks with Pakistan were held directly under the 1972 Shimla Agreement and denied any third-party intervention.
• The debate over past and present third-party involvement has resurfaced following the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s subsequent Operation Sindoor response.