India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire following intensive diplomatic efforts, signaling a dramatic turn in the escalating conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
The announcement came just hours after military exchanges between India and Pakistan targeted each other's installations across the Line of Control, pushing the region to the brink of a wider confrontation.
However, Indian military emphasized that while the ceasefire will be observed, India remains in a heightened state of operational readiness.
“Whilst we will be adhering to the understanding that has been reached today, that is the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force. We remain fully prepared and ever vigilant and committed to defending the sovereignty and integrity of the motherland,” Commodore Raghu R Nair stated.
“Every misadventure by Pakistan has been met with strength and every future escalation will invite a decisive response. We remain fully operationally ready to launch whatever operations may be required in defence of the nation,” he added.
The ceasefire agreement marks a significant pause in hostilities but is not yet a resolution to the broader tensions that have plagued bilateral ties. Talks on a range of strategic and humanitarian issues are expected to follow, likely at a neutral venue, as indicated by the US State Department.
Tensions between the two neighbouring countries escalated sharply after the Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes on terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on May 7.
{{/usCountry}}Tensions between the two neighbouring countries escalated sharply after the Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes on terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on May 7.
{{/usCountry}}The strikes were in response to a deadly attack on April 22 in Pahalgam by terrorists linked to Pakistan, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians.
In retaliation, Pakistan launched a new wave of drone attacks for the second consecutive night on Friday, targeting 26 sites across India — spanning from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat. According to the Ministry of Defence, these attempts to strike key installations, including airports and air bases, were effectively intercepted.
These attacks followed a previous wave by Pakistan, which targeted 36 locations within India using 300 to 400 Turkish-made armed drones. Reports also indicate that civilian airliners were used as cover to strike military targets. In response, India launched strikes on Islamabad’s air defence systems at four locations, successfully neutralizing one of them.