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India
After four days of intense military tension between India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed neighbours agreed to halt hostilities, ending a crisis that had kept the world on edge. The breakthrough came at 3:35 PM on Saturday through a phone call between Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations, Major General Kashif Abdullah, and his Indian counterpart, Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai.
Pakistan proposed a ceasefire, and India responded positively, according to people familiar with the matter. However, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri later confirmed that Pakistan breached this agreement later the same evening.
The de-escalation came after India launched a series of targeted military strikes under Operation Sindoor, in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. On May 7, India struck nine terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). These were followed by more military actions targeting Pakistani airbases, radar installations, and command centres.
India maintained that its actions were defensive and proportionate. Officials said New Delhi responded to Islamabad’s missile and drone attacks on Indian military sites. They emphasized that the objective of Operation Sindoor was to combat terrorism and send a strong message to Pakistan: any future terror attack would be treated as an act of war.
A key factor in achieving the ceasefire was the intervention of the United States. Sources said that pressure from Washington, particularly the prospect of a conditional International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout for Pakistan, played a critical role. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir on Saturday, urging him to de-escalate and offering support for peaceful talks.
Rubio later posted on X: “Over the past 48 hours, VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik.”
According to CNN, Vice President Vance who was in India during the Pahalgam attack—spoke with Prime Minister Modi as the White House assessed a high risk of rapid escalation. However, CNN clarified that the Trump administration was not involved in drafting the ceasefire deal.
Interestingly, the negotiations bypassed the usual diplomatic channels. There was no interaction between the foreign ministers or national security advisors of India and Pakistan. Instead, the military-to-military channel facilitated the ceasefire.
During a press briefing before the ceasefire was confirmed, Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said India was willing to de-escalate if Pakistan did the same. Singh mentioned Pakistan’s troop movements to forward areas, warning of their offensive intentions, but reiterated India’s commitment to peace.
Meanwhile, in Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif informed major political party leaders that the country had “avenged the blood of innocents” a message many analysts interpreted as a sign of moving toward de-escalation. Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s military claimed that a meeting of the National Command Authority, which controls the nuclear arsenal, was called. However, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif later denied this, saying no such meeting was held or scheduled.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also hinted at stepping back, stating in a media interview, “If India stopped its military actions, then Pakistan will consider to stop here.”
Sharif later posted on X: “We thank President Trump for his leadership and proactive role for peace in the region. Pakistan appreciates the United States for facilitating this outcome, which we have accepted in the interest of regional peace and stability.”
Despite the ceasefire, Indian authorities made it clear that there would be no political dialogue or meetings. Measures such as putting the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance will remain in place. Officials said that India had made its position clear: state-sponsored terror from Pakistan would not go unanswered.
Indian defense officials also said that Operation Sindoor had demonstrated India’s capability to hit key military targets in Pakistan, including strategic locations like Rawalpindi.
