On May 13, 2025, the Congress party reiterated its demands for an all-party meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a special session of Parliament, citing recent developments and remarks from Washington D.C. as adding urgency to these calls.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh questioned whether the Modi government would initiate a comprehensive review akin to the Kargil Review Committee, which was set up by the Vajpayee government shortly after the Kargil War in 1999. The original committee, led by strategic affairs expert K. Subrahmanyam—father of the current External Affairs Minister—produced a report in 2000, parts of which remain classified.

Ramesh raised the question of whether a similar inquiry should be launched into the Pahalgam incident, despite an ongoing probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). He emphasized that the opposition's demand for high-level consultations has become even more pressing following statements from former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Speaking at a press conference a day earlier, Trump claimed credit for preventing a potential nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan. According to him, the U.S. had facilitated a ceasefire on May 10, 2025, after several days of intense cross-border hostilities involving drone and missile strikes. Trump stated that his administration had pressured both nations by offering trade incentives to deescalate the situation.

Indian sources, however, maintained that the ceasefire was a result of direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) of both countries and that no third party was involved.

Trump praised the leadership of both nations for showing “strength, wisdom, and fortitude” in understanding the gravity of the situation. He claimed that his use of trade as leverage had a major impact, saying, “We told them—stop the conflict, and we’ll do trade. If not, no trade.” Trump concluded that both countries agreed to halt hostilities, partly due to the promise of increased trade with the United States.