Newsletters
President Donald Trump announced Saturday that India and Pakistan have agreed to a "full and immediate cease-fire" following intense U.S. diplomatic efforts, potentially ending days of escalating military exchanges between the nuclear-armed neighbors that threatened regional stability.
"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE," Trump wrote on his social media platform X.. "Congratulations to both countries on using common sense and great intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the ceasefire in a statement posted on X, revealing the extensive diplomatic efforts behind the breakthrough. Rubio disclosed that over the past 48 hours, he and Vice President JD Vance engaged in intensive talks with senior officials from both countries, including direct conversations with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"I am pleased to announce the governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site," Rubio stated. "We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace."
The high-level American engagement also included discussions with Indian Foreign Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, and national security advisers from both nations—Ajit Doval of India and Lt. Gen. Asim Malik of Pakistan.
This comprehensive diplomatic outreach highlights the significant concern in Washington about the potential for catastrophic escalation between the two nuclear powers.
Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed the agreement in a separate statement on X, saying, "Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!"
The ceasefire announcement comes after Pakistan launched counterattacks against India on Saturday following strikes on three of its air bases overnight, including a strategic facility near Islamabad.
The rapid escalation of hostilities had pushed the two nuclear powers closer to what many analysts feared could become their most serious military confrontation in decades.
Indian Wing Commander Vyomika Singh acknowledged during a Saturday briefing that India had experienced "several high-speed missile attacks" on its air bases but claimed there was "limited damage" to military equipment. Meanwhile, Pakistan accused India of targeting three of its air bases with missiles, including one in Rawalpindi, approximately 10 kilometers from Pakistan's capital, Islamabad.
The human toll was mounting quickly before the ceasefire announcement. Authorities in Pakistan-administered Kashmir reported 11 civilians killed by Indian shelling overnight. In total, the clashes involving fighter jets, missiles, drones, and artillery have resulted in more than 60 civilian casualties since the conflict began.
During a live broadcast on Pakistani state television, military spokesman Ahmed Sharif had issued an ominous warning: "Now you just wait for our response." This statement, made in the middle of the night, signaled Pakistan's determination to retaliate forcefully. Later Saturday, before the ceasefire announcement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told senior officials that "we have given India a befitting response and avenged the blood of our innocent citizens," according to a statement released by his office.
The U.S. government had been actively working to de-escalate tensions between the two countries. Secretary of State Marco Rubio conducted a series of calls with senior officials from both nations, urging them to restore direct communication to "avoid miscalculation."
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said Rubio "emphasized that both sides need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation." In a significant diplomatic development, Rubio also spoke with Pakistan's army chief, widely regarded as the country's key power broker, marking the first known such conversation since the conflict erupted.
The diplomatic push was not limited to the United States. China made similar appeals for restraint, as did the G7 group of industrialized nations, reflecting widespread international concern about the potential for catastrophic escalation between two nuclear-armed adversaries.
The overnight Indian attack on the Rawalpindi air base was audible from Islamabad. The timing was particularly concerning as the facility is regularly used to receive foreign dignitaries, and Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir had departed just hours before the strike.
The recent round of hostilities was triggered by an attack last month in the Indian-administered portion of disputed Kashmir that killed 26 tourists, primarily Hindu men. Delhi blamed Islamabad for the attack, specifically accusing the Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba—designated a terrorist organization by the United Nations—of carrying out the assault. Pakistan has consistently denied any involvement and called for an independent investigation.
The conflict has caused significant disruption to civilian life on both sides of the border. In Jammu, the second-largest city in Indian-administered Kashmir, residents scrambled to board special trains dispatched to evacuate civilians from the conflict zone.
"There are loud explosions the entire night," said Karan Varma, a 41-year-old mason waiting to evacuate. "There is no choice but to leave."
The overwhelming majority of those fleeing were reported to be laborers from other parts of India seeking to return to their homes.
Pakistan's military claimed its forces had shot down 77 drones, with Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalists reporting visible debris from these incursions in cities across the country.
In a separate claim that lacked supporting evidence, Pakistan's military alleged that New Delhi's forces had inadvertently bombed their own territory in Amritsar.
The disputed region of Kashmir has been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan since both nations gained independence from British rule in 1947. Both countries claim the Muslim-majority territory in full but administer separate portions of it. This territorial dispute has already led to several wars between the two nations.
Tensions in the region have been particularly high since 2019, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government revoked Kashmir's limited autonomy and placed the state under direct rule from New Delhi. Since then, armed groups have stepped up operations in the contested region.
The conflict has caused major disruptions to international aviation, with airlines canceling flights or being forced to use longer routes that avoid the India-Pakistan frontier. India closed 32 airports, while schools in areas close to the border on both sides were shuttered, affecting millions of children.
Pakistan's aviation authority had announced its airspace would remain closed until noon Sunday (0700 GMT) before the cease-fire was announced.
The cease-fire agreement brokered by the United States represents a critical opportunity to step back from what many regional experts feared could have escalated into a full-scale war with devastating consequences for South Asia and beyond.
The coming days will test whether both sides maintain their commitment to the agreement and begin the difficult process of diplomatic engagement.
1 min read
