In a breakthrough aimed at halting rising hostilities, India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following U.S.-led negotiations. However, within hours of the announcement, both sides accused each other of violating the agreement, raising concerns over its durability.
The ceasefire was first announced by former U.S. President Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform early Saturday. “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,” he wrote. “Congratulations to both countries on using common sense and great intelligence.”
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed the agreement shortly after, stating on X (formerly Twitter) that Islamabad remains committed to peace in the region while preserving its sovereignty. India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri elaborated on the deal, confirming that both nations had agreed to cease all military operations starting at 5 p.m. IST (7:30 a.m. ET).
Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar added that while India remained firm on its stance against terrorism, it was prepared to halt military action in the interest of de-escalation.
The agreement follows weeks of heightened tension after a terrorist attack on April 22 in Indian-administered Kashmir killed 26 people. India blamed Pakistan for the attack and launched retaliatory strikes under “Operation Sindoor.” Pakistan denied involvement and responded by suspending the Simla Agreement, a key peace accord. In turn, India withdrew from a long-standing water-sharing treaty.
Despite hopes for calm, explosions were reported in Srinagar and Jammu shortly after the ceasefire was implemented. Omar Abdullah, the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, posted, “What the hell just happened to the ceasefire?” on X.
India’s Foreign Secretary Misri accused Pakistan of violating the newly brokered agreement during a televised address Saturday evening. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry denied the charge, stating that it was India who broke the terms, while reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to the ceasefire.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that high-level talks had taken place with officials from both countries, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. While India did not publicly acknowledge U.S. involvement, Sharif expressed gratitude to the United States and specifically to Trump, Rubio, and Vice President J.D. Vance for their roles in facilitating the agreement.
The ceasefire has drawn praise from international figures, including Pope Leo, who in his Sunday address expressed hope that the agreement would lead to lasting peace.
Whether this fragile ceasefire holds remains to be seen, but the development marks the most significant diplomatic engagement between the two rivals in years.
