Indian officials have told angry opposition lawmakers that the government had not invited Donald Trump to mediate the conflict. A day before, the US president had made the offer, saying: "I would love to be a mediator."
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Khan
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The Indian government on Tuesday denied it had ever shifted its policy on the disputed region of Kashmir.
"The US president made certain remarks to the effect he was ready to mediate if requested by Indian and Pakistan," Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyan Jaishankar told furious opposition lawmakers in parliament.
Shortly after the press conference, the US State Department said that a sustainable solution to the conflict could only come from dialogue between India and Pakistan.
"While Kashmir is a bilateral issue for both parties to discuss, the Trump administration welcomes Pakistan and India sitting down and the United States stands ready to assist," the State Department said.
India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence from British colonial rule, two of which have centered on the disputed Kashmir region.
Poets call it one of the most beautiful places on earth. Analysts consider it to be one of the most dangerous areas in the world. But what is Kashmir in reality?
Image: M.Davari
Multicultural
Kashmir has been well-known for its cultural and linguistic diversity. The Kashmir Valley has a Muslim majority. Hindus are predominant in Jammu while Ladakh is primarily Buddhist. But interminable violence has damaged the very fabric of society.
Image: picture-alliance/Arcaid
Saffron
Kashmir is also famous for its saffron. India is the third largest exporter of saffron following Iran and Spain.
Image: imago/Xinhua
'Switzerland of the East'
Kashmir boasts some of the world's most beautiful flowering meadows and snow-capped peaks. Many people call it "The Switzerland of the East." Almost 1.1 million tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir in 2014.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Snow-white Kashmir
Kashmir wears pure white in winter. Many areas are perfect for winter sports but lack infrastructure. Islamist violence remains the biggest challenge.
Image: UNI
Rivers
The Himalayan part of Kashmir is the source of fresh water for more than 20 rivers, among which the Indus, Neelum and Ravi are the biggest. All these rivers flow from India into Pakistan.
Image: UNI
Wood
Kashmir is also famous for its wood, the Kashmir willow. Experts believe that it is the best wood for making a cricket bat. Kashmiri wood is also used for building boats.
Image: picture alliance/NurPhoto/Y. Nazir
Sufism
Sufism, the mystical dimension of Islam, reached Kashmir in the 16th century. Sufi tradition is associated with religious harmony. Many of the saints held dear by Kashmiris were Sufi monks. Sufi singers such as Abida Parveen are popular to this day.
Image: AP
Kashmir on the silver screen
Kashmir used to be the most popular location of the Indian film industry during the 1980s. It was a golden era for Kashmir. However, the valley has been witnessing violence on an almost daily basis ever since. Nowadays, only one or two films are shot on location in Kashmir every year.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Fighting in the clouds
The Kashmir conflict between India and Pakistan has been going on 1948, and experts see little hope of a solution in the foreseeable future. Both countries spend lots of resources on their half of the divided territory, with their respective armies squared off on what some view as the highest battlefield in the world, the Siachen glacier (5,753m).
