Following a period of escalating tensions, India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire on May 10, 2025, after days of cross-border military strikes. The agreement, which was brokered with the intervention of the United States, has been met with cautious optimism.
The recent conflict was triggered by a deadly militant attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, 2025, which resulted in the deaths of 25 Indian and one Nepali national. India responded by launching air strikes on alleged "militant camps" in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Pakistan retaliated by targeting several Indian military bases. The situation quickly escalated, with both sides accusing each other of targeting key military sites and civilian areas.
According to Al Jazeera, Pakistan launched "Operation Bunyan Marsoos" after three Pakistani airbases were allegedly attacked by India's "air-to-surface missiles". India also claimed to have extensively damaged air bases at Skardu, Sargodha, Jacobabad, and Bholari in Pakistan.
The ceasefire agreement was first announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on social media, before official statements from the Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers. Trump has repeatedly claimed that his administration played a key role in brokering the ceasefire, even suggesting that he averted a potential "nuclear conflict" between the two nations. He stated that he used trade as leverage, telling both countries to "not trade nuclear missiles (and) trade the things that you make so beautifully". Trump said he told India and Pakistan, "Let's make a deal. Let's do some trading...Let's not trade nuclear missiles. Let's trade the things that you make so beautifully". He also credited Secretary of State Marco Rubio for leading US efforts in de-escalating the conflict.
However, India has refuted Trump's claims of mediation and the use of trade as a bargaining chip. According to the Hindustan Times, India maintains its long-standing position that any issues pertaining to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir would be addressed bilaterally with Pakistan. India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the issue of trade did not come up in any discussions between Indian and U.S. leaders during the crisis. An Indian official told Agence France Presse that the ceasefire was negotiated bilaterally. The MEA also rejected the claim that the U.S. administration had averted a nuclear war, emphasizing that India's military action was "entirely in the conventional domain".
Despite India's denial, Pakistan has expressed gratitude to the U.S. for its role in facilitating the ceasefire. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked Trump for his "leadership and proactive role" in promoting peace in the region.
While the ceasefire appears to be holding, tensions remain between the two countries. Several diplomatic and economic measures taken by both sides prior to the ceasefire remain in place, including the suspension of a key water-sharing treaty, halting of most visas, and suspension of trade. India also closed entry from its side to the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, which allows Indian pilgrims to visit a Sikh shrine in Pakistan without a visa.
The ceasefire agreement stipulates that India and Pakistan will commence talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. Whether these talks will lead to a lasting resolution of the underlying issues remains to be seen.
