New Delhi: Ricky Gill, the senior director for South and Central Asia and Special Assistant to the US President, has been awarded the National Security Council’s Distinguished Action Award for his role in the “India-Pakistan ceasefire negotiations.”
Gill received the US’ NSC internal commendation from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier this week. An American citizen with Indian roots, Gill holds a law degree from University of California, Berkeley and was a part of Trump’s NSC during the President’s first term as well.
India has consistently rejected Washington’s assertion of mediating a pause in the hostilities with Pakistan earlier this year. In a call with US President Donald Trump in June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi maintained that the understanding that led to the cessation of hostilities in the land, air and sea was achieved bilaterally between New Delhi and Islamabad.
The government has also maintained that any issues between India and Pakistan will be handled bilaterally and rejected any attempts by a third party to interfere in any negotiations between the two neighbours.
Congratulations to @RickyGillCA for recognition by SecState@marcorubio with the NSC Distinguished Action Award for his role in the India-Pakistan ceasefire negotiations. Ricky is a talented diplomat who served with me in @realDonaldTrump’s 1st Admin. pic.twitter.com/6C9cd1I03F
— Robert C. O'Brien (@robertcobrien) December 25, 2025
India launched Operation Sindoor on 7 May, targeting nine terrorist complexes across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The resulting 87-hour conflict witnessed the two militaries exchanging heavy fire across the Line of Control (LoC).
The operation was launched in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead on 22 April. On 10 May, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced that India and Pakistan had arrived at an understanding to pause the current hostilities after discussions through the established military and diplomatic channels, specifically between the two Director General of Military Operations (DGMOs).
The US leadership including Rubio and Vice President J.D. Vance had been in touch with the Indian leadership during the roughly four days of conflict. However, America has claimed at various points to have mediated an end to the conflict including through the threat of imposing high tariffs on both countries.
New Delhi has maintained that trade was never discussed with the US during the 87-hour conflict and that Vance was informed clearly that any end to the hostilities could only be discussed through the appropriate bilateral channels.
The repeated claims by Trump and the US administration for helping pause the conflict has emerged as an irritant in ties between New Delhi and Washington. Modi and Trump did not speak for nearly three months after the call in June, where the Indian leader reiterated India’s clear stance that the US played no role in the negotiations to pause hostilities.
Gill had visited India in August. He had in 2012 stood as a candidate for the House of Representatives from California. In a tightly fought contest, the Republican candidate lost to Democrat Jerry McNerney during the 2012 federal elections.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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