U.S. Calls on India and Pakistan to Ease Tensions Following Kashmir Violence

The United States has called on India and Pakistan to collaborate in reducing tensions following a recent militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that left 26 civilians dead.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke individually with India’s foreign minister and Pakistan’s prime minister on Wednesday, urging both nations to prioritize peace and stability in the South Asian region.

India has blamed Pakistan-based militants for carrying out the April 22 assault near the tourist area of Pahalgam. Pakistan, however, has denied any involvement in the attack.

In response to the incident, India announced the closure of its airspace to Pakistani aircraft on Wednesday—part of an ongoing cycle of retaliatory actions between the two neighbors.

Following his conversation with Rubio, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar posted on social media, emphasizing the need to hold those responsible for the Pahalgam attack accountable. Rubio also expressed condolences and reiterated the U.S.’s commitment to supporting India in its efforts against terrorism.

In his discussion with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Rubio stressed the importance of publicly denouncing the attack and urged Pakistan to assist in the investigation.

Sharif, in a statement from his office, rejected India’s accusations and asked the U.S. to encourage India to reduce inflammatory rhetoric and adopt a more measured approach.

The recent phone conversations between U.S. and South Asian leaders follow a warning from Pakistan’s information minister, who claimed the country has “credible intelligence” indicating a possible Indian military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours. The Indian government has not issued a public response to this allegation.

Speculation continues to grow over whether India will carry out military operations in response to the deadly militant attack in Kashmir, similar to its retaliatory strikes in 2016 and 2019. Pakistan, for its part, has stated that it would respond firmly if India were to initiate any military action.

In light of the rising tensions, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been conducting a series of high-level meetings with top defense and security officials in New Delhi throughout the week.

On Wednesday, the Indian Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Modi, convened for the second time since the Kashmir attack. This followed an earlier session where Modi reportedly granted military leaders full discretion to determine the timing, targets, and methods of any potential retaliation, according to local media citing unnamed sources.

Over the past few days, both Indian and Pakistani troops have exchanged sporadic small-arms fire across the Line of Control.

Indian media reported that during a routine communication between senior military officers from both countries on Tuesday, India lodged a strong protest over repeated ceasefire violations allegedly committed by Pakistan.

The following day, India imposed a complete ban on Pakistani aircraft—both civilian and military—from using its airspace, mirroring an earlier move made by Pakistan.

India has also taken additional measures, including suspending the issuance of most visas to Pakistani citizens and demanding that those already in the country leave. The grace period for this order has reportedly ended. Furthermore, India has paused a major water-sharing agreement with Pakistan.

Pakistan retaliated with similar actions, including canceling visas for Indian nationals and suspending a 1972 peace accord between the two nations.

According to media reports, since these policies were enacted, 786 Pakistani nationals have departed India, while 1,465 Indian citizens have returned from Pakistan.

Additionally, several Instagram accounts belonging to prominent Pakistani actors and entertainers have been blocked within India.

Several celebrity Instagram accounts now appear to be inaccessible, with searches yielding no results. A message from Instagram states, “This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”

The Indian government has not issued an official explanation for the account removals. Earlier in the week, more than a dozen Pakistani news channels were also banned in India, with media outlets citing the spread of inflammatory or provocative content as the reason.

The Kashmir region, which remains a contentious territory claimed in full by both India and Pakistan but partially governed by each, has long been a source of conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors since their division in 1947.

Since 1989, Indian-administered Kashmir has experienced a prolonged insurgency, with militant groups frequently targeting both Indian security forces and civilians.

While Indian authorities have not publicly identified the group responsible for the recent deadly attack, early reports pointed to a group called the Resistance Front. However, the organization later denied any involvement. The group is believed to be connected to Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based militant organization that India designates as a terrorist entity.

Indian police have named three of the four suspected attackers, identifying two as Pakistani nationals and one as a resident of Indian-administered Kashmir. No information has been released about the fourth suspect.

Witnesses and survivors of the attack stated that the assailants appeared to deliberately target Hindu men.

Described as the deadliest assault on civilians in Kashmir in over 20 years, the incident has triggered widespread outrage across India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to bring those responsible to justice, declaring that India will “track down and punish” the perpetrators in a way that would surpass their expectations.

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