Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan avoid all-out war and agree to ceasefire

• Donald Trump confirmed India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire.
• The two nations exchanged major cross-border strikes, with both sides targeting military bases.
• More than a dozen civilians killed in Kashmir, as artillery and missile fire continued overnight.

India and Pakistan – two nuclear-armed neighbours – who were teetering on the brink of an all-out war after a dramatic escalation of strikes today have now agreed to a ceasefire.

The announcement was first made by Donald Trump, who wrote on Truth Social: ‘Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!’

Both nations confirmed the ceasefire deal following the mediation by the US.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio said he was involved in negotiations with Indian and Pakistani prime ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif

‘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 said on X.

‘We commend prime ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace,’ he added.

The announcement comes after Pakistan launched counterattacks against India Saturday after three of its air bases were struck overnight and the conflict between the arch-foes escalated to dangerous levels.

The strikes – part of a newly-launched military operation, named Bunyan-un-Marsoos, meaning ‘solid wall of steel’ – were in response to attacks on Pakistani territory this week.

Shortly afterwards, India targeted multiple military bases in Pakistan, citing ‘blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions’ along the western borders.

Overnight, Indian and Pakistani troops also exchanged artillery and gunfire along the Line of Control that divides the disputed Kashmir region.

Pakistan’s disaster authority confirmed that 13 civilians have been killed and more than 50 injured in Kashmir in past 12 hours.

The heavy cross-border violence escalate the volatile standoff sparked by last month’s attack on tourists by five armed militants near Pahalgam in the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 civilians were killed. 

Both nations have signalled a willingness to de-escalate if the other halts further aggression.

Yet, military mobilisations on the border and a retaliatory rhetoric suggest a deepening crisis with no clear cut-off.

Former Pakistan national security adviser, Moeed Yusuf, warned that ‘we are on the brink of an all-out war’.

He told SkyNews: ‘This is not a good situation, the world must wake up to the reality that two nuclear powers are on the brink of an all-out war.’

Yusuf claimed Pakistan ‘never wanted to escalate’ tensions and said now is the time for the two sides to ‘sit down and talk’.

He added: ‘I think the view in Pakistan is that enough is enough. We are not sacrificial lambs, we will stand up. If India does not respond now, I am sure Pakistan will say thank you, that is it.’

Hours after carrying out strikes on India, Pakistan’s foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, said his country would consider de-escalation if India stopped further attacks.

Earlier, he told Pakistan’s Geo News: ‘We responded because our patience had reached its limit. If they stop here, we will also consider stopping.’

Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif also told his country’s political leaders ‘we have given India a befitting response’.

India has also said it is committed to ‘non-escalation’, providing that rival forces reciprocated.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh warned: ‘Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness.’

Rubio had spoken to Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir on Friday to offer American assistance ‘in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts’.

He spoke to his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar, stressing that ‘both sides need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation,’ State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said Saturday.

The Group of Seven (G7) major economies had earlier called for maximum restraint from India and Pakistan, urging the neighbours to engage in direct dialogue.

‘Further military escalation poses a serious threat to regional stability. We are deeply concerned for the safety of civilians on both sides,’ according to the statement, which was posted in the official website of the government of Canada, a member of the G7.

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