India and Pakistan agree to immediate ceasefire across land, air and sea, US confirms mediation
| 2025-05-10
PM Narendra Modi, US President Donald Trump, Pakistan's Shehbaz Sharif
India and Pakistan have agreed to a full ceasefire across all military fronts following US-mediated talks, halting three days of escalating conflict.
India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate halt to military action on land, at sea and in the air, following high-level talks reportedly mediated by the United States.
The agreement was reached on Saturday after a call between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries, according to Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. The ceasefire came into effect at 5:00pm Indian Standard Time.
Misri stated that the Pakistani DGMO initiated the call at 3:35pm and both sides agreed to end all forms of hostilities. The two officials are expected to speak again on 12 May to assess the implementation of the ceasefire.
External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar confirmed the development on social media, stating that India remains committed to stopping military action but continues to maintain a “firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”
US claims role in brokering agreement
United States President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire hours before India’s official confirmation. Posting on his social media platform, Truth Social, President Trump wrote: “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.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the president’s remarks, revealing that he and Vice-President JD Vance had engaged in discussions over the past 48 hours with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“I am pleased to announce the governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site,” Rubio said on X. “We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace.”
However, Indian government sources have downplayed Washington’s role, stating that the ceasefire was worked out directly between India and Pakistan. “There is no decision to hold talks on any other issue at any other place,” a senior Indian official told reporters.
Pakistan confirms ceasefire, stresses peace goals
Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also confirmed the agreement, stating in a post on X that “Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect.”
“Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.
The agreement follows three days of heightened military exchanges, during which both sides reported missile and drone attacks on military and civilian infrastructure.
Context: escalation and international concern
The ceasefire announcement came after intense military action on both sides of the border. According to Indian sources, Pakistan had launched coordinated drone and missile strikes on 26 targets across Indian states including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat. These attacks were reportedly part of an operation named Bunyan-al-Marsoos (translated as “Unbreakable Wall”).
India responded with its own operation, codenamed Sindoor, targeting multiple militant camps associated with the groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Indian officials claimed to have neutralised more than 100 militants across nine sites, following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 25 tourists and one local resident.
Amidst concerns of further escalation, US diplomats including Secretary Rubio and Vice-President Vance engaged in intensive outreach to prevent the crisis from spiralling. Rubio confirmed contact with India’s External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and both national security advisers, Ajit Doval and Asim Malik.
Despite India’s assertion that the ceasefire was a bilateral arrangement, the United States has positioned its involvement as crucial to bringing the two countries back from the brink.
Next steps uncertain
Although the ceasefire halts immediate hostilities, questions remain about the durability of peace and whether further negotiations will take place. India has ruled out broader talks for now, while the US and Pakistan have indicated willingness to pursue diplomatic engagement on wider issues.
The two countries’ military leaderships are set to reconvene via a second DGMO-level call on 12 May to review the implementation of the ceasefire.
The last major ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan was in February 2021, also at the DGMO level, which had brought relative calm along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. That accord, however, gradually broke down amid renewed tensions and cross-border incidents.
The current agreement signals a possible return to diplomatic engagement, though both sides remain cautious in their public messaging.
Global implications
The United States’ visible involvement in brokering the ceasefire marks a significant moment in its diplomatic engagement in South Asia. Though both India and Pakistan have historically guarded their autonomy in bilateral security issues, this incident reflects a rare convergence of interests to de-escalate at a time of global instability.
For India, the agreement may offer a pause to recalibrate security postures while continuing its counter-terrorism operations. For Pakistan, it provides an opportunity to stabilise its eastern front amid domestic economic and political challenges.
Whether the truce holds will depend on follow-through by both militaries and political leaders—and on the absence of further provocations by non-state actors in the region.
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