US Diplomats Broker Ceasefire Between India and Pakistan
The recent escalation between India and Pakistan, which began with a terrorist attack on April 22, 2025, in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, killing 26 civilians, spiraled into a series of retaliatory strikes that threatened a broader conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors. India launched “Operation Sindoor” on May 7, targeting alleged terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, resulting in civilian casualties—Pakistan reported over 30 deaths. Pakistan responded with drone and missile strikes, including an operation dubbed “Bunyan-al-Marsoos,” targeting Indian military sites and civilian infrastructure across Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. The violence peaked on May 10 with India striking six Pakistani air bases, while Pakistan shelled Indian border states, raising fears of a nuclear exchange as both nations possess significant arsenals—India with around 172 warheads and Pakistan with 170, per the Arms Control Association.
Amid this volatile succession of violence, the Trump administration played a pivotal role in de-escalating tensions through diplomatic intervention. On May 10, after a “long night of talks,” President Donald Trump announced a “full and immediate ceasefire” between India and Pakistan, effective from 5 p.m. Indian Standard Time (7:30 a.m. ET). U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance engaged directly with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over 48 hours, leveraging U.S. influence—potentially including economic pressure, as some posts on X suggest the U.S. tied a $1 billion IMF tranche to Pakistan’s compliance. Rubio emphasized the need for both sides to pursue peace, commending their “wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship,” while Trump praised their “common sense and great intelligence” in choosing dialogue over destruction, highlighting a rare instance of effective U.S. mediation in a region historically resistant to outside influence.
Despite the ceasefire, the resolution remains fragile, with underlying tensions unresolved and both nations maintaining a firm stance on Kashmir. Hours after the agreement, explosions were reported in Srinagar, prompting Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to question the ceasefire’s durability on X. India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri clarified that the ceasefire was negotiated directly between the two countries’ military operations heads, downplaying U.S. mediation, while Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar affirmed Islamabad’s commitment to peace without compromising sovereignty. The Trump administration’s hands-off approach earlier in the crisis—marked by Trump’s initial reluctance to intervene and his focus on other global conflicts like Ukraine and Gaza—may have allowed tensions to escalate before stepping in. However, the eventual diplomatic push, supported by allies like Saudi Arabia and Turkey, underscores a pragmatic, if belated, effort to avert a catastrophic war, though the long-term stability of South Asia remains uncertain.
