As US President Donald Trump, for the third time, reiterated his offer to mediate in the Kashmir issue, India reasserted its position on the matter saying that there can be no third-party mediation.

Describing himself as an “extremely good arbitrator”, Trump on Monday said that he was ready to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue if both sides agree on that.

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Trump made the remarks during his meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York.

Addressing a press conference along with Khan, Trump said, “If I can help, I will certainly help,” he said. “If both (Pakistan and India) want, I am ready to do it”.

Terming the issue as a “complex” one and one that has been going on for a long time, Donald Trump said, “I am ready, willing and able. It’s a complex issue. It’s been going on for a long time. But if both want it, I will be ready to do it.”

Trump met Imran Khan a day after attending the Howdy Modi event in Houston along with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Following the Trump-Imran meet, the Ministry of External Affairs urged the media to “wait” for the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the US President today.

Trump is scheduled to meet Modi today at 12.15 pm New York Time (9.45 pm. IST).

“Well, I think there is a meeting tomorrow between the Prime Minister and US President. Let us wait for the meeting,” A Gitesh Sarma, secretary (west) in the external affairs ministry told reporters.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: “You are aware of our position. We have mentioned about this in the past. But my request is, just hold on. Hold on for the meeting tomorrow. It’s not very far.”

India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was an internal matter and also advised Pakistan to accept the reality.

Meanwhile, Trump has also stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “very aggressive” in his remarks about Pakistan in Houston and that he had not expected him to make them.

This is the second time Trump found himself in a controversy over Kashmir. He made an off-the-cuff remark before a meeting with Khan at the White House in July that Modi had asked him to mediate or arbitrate the Kashmir issue.