For four days, spiralling hostilities between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan had the world on edge. But the end came swiftly, via a phone call at 3.35pm on Saturday.
The cessation of hostilities was achieved after a call from Pakistan director general of military operations, Major General Kashif Abdullah, to his Indian counterpart, Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai. The former’s offer to stop the firing and the air attacks was met with the response that India too would do the same, people directly familiar with the matter said.
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To be sure, Pakistan “breached” agreement later in the evening, as acknowledged by India’s foreign secretary Vikram Misri.
India’s strategic strikes on Pakistani military installations and the US’s nudge to Pakistan Army chief Gen Asim Munir to deescalate – Washington’s backing for a International Monetary Fund bailout package for Islamabad was likely conditional to this – were key factors behind the understanding on stopping military actions, people familiar with the matter said.
The people added that while representatives from the US and various other countries had spoken to top Indian officials – including foreign minister S Jaishankar and national security adviser Ajit Doval -- there were no interaction between either the foreign ministers of the two countries or the NSAs.
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{{/usCountry}}Also read | Pakistan says it ‘remains committed’ after India accuses it of ceasefire violation
{{/usCountry}}This was only fitting, the people cited above said, pointing out that the hostilities started with the April 22 terror attack at Pahalgam, which India responded to on May 7, with targeted strikes at nine terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir; since then, New Delhi has only been responding, proportionately and responsibly, to Islamabad’s escalation, the people added.
The people said that there were no other aspects to the cessation of hostilities, and that there was no talk of a political dialogue or a meeting. Measures announced by India, including the country putting the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance, will remain, they added.
The people said that the sole objective of Operation Sindoor was to strike at terror, and to send Pakistan a message that its sponsorship of terror would not go unpunished, adding that any future terror attack would be seen as an act of war.
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Since India’s military began responding to Pakistan’s strikes over the past three days, numerous strikes targeted the neighbouring country’s airbases, radar sites, air defence systems and command centres. India’s military action codenamed Operation Sindoor was originally launched on May 7 to target terrorist infrastructure in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, and officials have said military targets were struck only after the Pakistani side launched drones and missiles at Indian military sites.
In several instances, there was signalling by the Indian side about the ability to reach key Pakistani military installations in locations such as Rawalpindi, the people added on condition of anonymity.
Members of the US administration, particularly secretary of state Marco Rubio, were in touch with Pakistan’s top leadership as tensions soared in recent days. Rubio dialled the Pakistan Army chief on Saturday to push for de-escalation and offer assistance for starting constructive talks to avoid future conflicts, according to an official readout.
“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,” Rubio posted on X.
CNN reported that Vance – who was visiting India when the terrorists struck Pahalgam – spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after White House believed there was a high probability for dramatic escalation in the conflict. The Trump administration was not involved in helping draft the agreement, CNN reported.
In the hours leading up to the announcement of the understanding, there were signs that the two sides were working towards de-escalation and reduction of tensions. Addressing a media briefing, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force indicated that India’s armed forces would de-escalate if Pakistan reciprocated such moves.
Singh noted that Pakistan’s military was moving troops to forward areas, an apparent “offensive intent to further escalate the situation”. But she added, “Indian armed forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is reciprocated by the Pakistan military.”
On the Pakistani side, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif telephoned leaders of the main political parties and informed them that a “befitting reply” was given to India and the country had “avenged the blood of innocents”. This was taken by experts to be an indication of efforts aimed at de-escalation.
The Pakistani military informed journalists early on Saturday morning that the prime minister had called a meeting of the National Command Authority, the body responsible for command and control of the nuclear arsenal. However, a short while later, defence minister Khawaja Asif told ARY TV news channel that “no meeting has happened of the National Command Authority, nor is any such meeting scheduled”.
Separately, foreign minister Ishaq Dar told the local media that if India stopped its military actions, then Pakistan “will consider to stop here”. These comments by the Pakistani ministers too were seen as indications of the moves toward de-escalation.
“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,” Sharif wrote on X.