New Delhi: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 12 warned Pakistan against launching any “terrorist attack on India,” stating that New Delhi would respond with a “fitting reply” if such an event were to occur. Modi’s comments-his first since the Indian military launched strikes on what New Delhi identified as “terrorist camps” across the border-came in the wake of the nuclear-armed neighbors agreeing to a cease-fire, announced over the weekend by US President Donald Trump.
According to Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, both Pakistan and India claimed victory on May 11 as the US-mediated cease-fire largely held, leading the two sides to step back from a potential full-scale war over the disputed Kashmir region. The truce was achieved after intense exchanges involving missiles and drones over four days, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians.
The military confrontation began on May 7 when India claimed it had launched strikes on nine “terrorist infrastructure” sites in Pakistan and Pakistani
Kashmir. This move followed an attack on Hindu tourists by Islamist militants in Indian Kashmir last month, which resulted in the deaths of 26 men. Islamabad denied any involvement in the attack and called for a neutral investigation.
President Trump announced on May 10 that India and Pakistan had agreed to a full and immediate cease-fire after a “long night of talks mediated by the United States.” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that his country agreed to the cease-fire in the spirit of peace but emphasized that Pakistan would not tolerate violations of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The South Asian region, particularly the disputed Kashmir area, often finds itself on the brink of catastrophic conflict as India and Pakistan regularly come close to full-scale war. Despite the cease-fire, both nations claimed victory over the latest outbreak of violence, seemingly to reassure their domestic populations.
On May 11, New Delhi presented a report of its claimed success during the flar
e-up, claiming that its military strikes into Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and Pakistan earlier in the week resulted in the deaths of more than 100 militants. Among those killed, according to Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, were prominent militant leaders. Meanwhile, Pakistani Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif stated that Islamabad’s forces responded on May 10 by hitting 26 Indian military installations.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated his nation for its “victory” over India and expressed a desire for meaningful dialogue to resolve the longstanding issues dividing the two countries. The cease-fire has been welcomed by international leaders, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announcing that India and Pakistan agreed to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised the cease-fire as a “positive step” and expressed hope that the agreement would foster an environment conducive to addressing broader issues between the two countries. P
resident Trump also expressed his readiness to aid in resolving the Kashmir dispute and boosting the economies of both nations.
This cease-fire follows weeks of escalating violence initiated by a deadly attack on April 22 in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians, most of whom were Hindu tourists. While India blamed Pakistan-based militants for the assault, Islamabad denied any involvement. The incident triggered a series of retaliatory strikes, including missile and drone attacks, cross-border shelling, and cyberattacks, highlighting the persistent tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.