A senior US official has conceded that India has notrequested any mediation with Pakistan on Kashmir, contradicting PresidentDonald Trump's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked him to mediateor arbitrate.

The official said on Thursday: "We just note that Indiahas not requested any formal mediation. But the President has said, you know,he's friends with both leaders – both Prime Minister (Imran) Khan of Pakistanand Prime Minister Modi of India. And he stands ready to assist if they both wouldlike him to do so."The official, who was briefing reporters on aboutTrump's visit to France for the G7 meeting, also made clear that rescindingKashmir's special constitutional status was an internal matter of India.

The official made the clarification about mediation inresponse to a question about Trump's assertion made in a joint media encounterwith Khan last month after the official had said that India-Pakistan relationsare expected to come up at the Modi-Trump meeting in France on the sidelines ofthe G7.

The official said: "India's decision to rescind Article370 in Kashmir is an internal decision, but certainly with regionalimplications. And President Trump will likely want to hear how Prime MinisterModi intends to calm regional tensions in light of this significant move.""We do expect the issue of India-Pakistan relations to come up," theofficial added.

Trump has shown a faltering grasp of the Kashmir situation,reducing it to a religious issue and displaying an unawareness of India being asecular state with the world's third-largest population of Muslims.

Earlier this week, the President told reporters:"Kashmir's a very complicated place. You have the Hindus, and you have theMuslims, and I wouldn't say they get along so great. And that's what you haveright now."Trump had claimed that Modi asked him to mediate on Kashmirwhen they met in June at the G20 meeting in Japan's Osaka.

India, which has always insisted that disputes with Pakistanare bilateral issues based on the 1972 Simla Declaration with no room for thirdparty intervention, denied any such requests were made.

The State Department later conceded that the matter was abilateral issue.

The Group of Seven (G7) industrialised democracies hasinvited India to its summit from August 24 to 26, in Biarritz, France.Theadministration official said on Thursday that Trump will likely ask Modi abouthis plans "to uphold respect for human rights for Kashmir, as part ofIndia's role as the world's largest democracy" and also express "hishope that India would lift the communications and movement restrictions inKashmir and exercise the utmost restraint in dealing with potentialprotests".

The official also stressed that Trump wants Islamabad to endcross-border terrorism.

Certainly, President Trump is also calling on Pakistan toprevent the infiltration of militants across the line of control that dividesKashmir and to crack down on groups on its territory that have attacked India inthe past," the official said.

While staying away from any hint of mediation or arbitrationthat Trump spoken about, the official said: "The President is likely tostress the need for dialogue among all sides of the conflict."

Turning to bilateral issues, the official said on Thursdaythat Trump was expected to focus on strategic cooperation and trade, afavourite topic of the US leader.

Trump "is very much looking forward to hismeeting" with Modi "where they will discuss the strategic partnershipand how they can cooperate more closely on issues like defence cooperation,counterterrorism and trade", the official said.

"They will look for solutions on the trade front. TheUS is looking to India to reduce tariffs and open its markets," theofficial said.

The official, recalling the Modi-Trump meeting in Osakaduring the G20 meeting in June, said: "We expect the two leaders to buildon the very productive discussions they had" and also on the phone callthey had earlier this week.