In decades, the U.S.-led talks ended, India and Pakistan agreed on Saturday to end the worst military confrontation between nuclear weapons competitors.
The ceasefire deal comes after weeks of clashes, missiles and drone strikes last month triggered by a massacre of tourists killed by India’s blaming Pakistan, which denies the allegation. Dozens of civilians on both sides were killed.
The first news of the truce came from U.S. President Donald Trump, who posted on his truth social platform, that he was pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire. “Congratulations to both countries on their use of common sense and great intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced a ceasefire in GEO news. He said Saudi Arabia and Türkiye played an important role in facilitating the deal.
Indian Foreign Minister Vikram Misri said the head of military operations from both countries spoke on Saturday afternoon.
“With their agreement, both sides will cease all shooting and military operations on the land, as well as the air and the ocean. Both sides have directives to make this understanding effective.” Misri added that senior military officials will speak again on May 12.
The agreement has quickly concluded military escalation.
India said it targeted Pakistani air bases after Islamabad fired several high-speed missiles into military and civilian infrastructure in Punjab. Pakistan said it intercepted most missiles and conducted a retaliatory strike in India.
India says this gives appropriate response to Pakistan's strike
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Earlier on Saturday, the Indian military held a press conference in New Delhi, saying Pakistan targeted medical institutions and schools in three air bases in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
“A proper response was expressed to Pakistan's actions,” said Indian Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.
Wing commander Vyomika Singh said that as long as Pakistan goes back and forth, India is committed to “not gradually propaganda”. However, the observation of Pakistan’s ground forces mobilization forward to the area “indicating the offensive intention further escalates the situation.”
She added: “The Indian armed forces are still in high state of operational readiness.”
Pakistan's military said it used medium-range Fateh missiles to attack Indian missile storage facilities and air bases in the cities of Pathankot and Udhampur.
The Associated Press cannot independently verify all actions attributed to Pakistan or India.
Army spokesman Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif said Pakistan's air force assets were safe after the Indian attack.
India strikes target Pakistan air base
Tensions have soared since the attack on April 22 at a popular tourist site in India-controlled Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians, mainly Hindu tourists. New Delhi blames Pakistan for supporting the attack on Islamabad charges.
According to a Pakistan military spokesperson, the Indian missiles on Saturday targeted Nur Khan Air Base in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, the Murid Air Base in Chakwal City and the Rafiki Air Base in Zhang District, Punjab Province in eastern Punjab Province.
No immediate reports of strikes or incidents of its residents in the densely populated Rawalpindi.
Pakistan celebrates India's missile launch.
“Thank God, we finally responded to India's aggression,” said Muhammad Ashraf. There were joyful scenes in Peshawar and Karachi.
Indian-controlled Kashmir explosion
After announcing Pakistan’s retaliation, Indian-controlled Kashmir residents said they heard loud explosions in multiple places, including the two big cities of Srinagar and Chamu and the garrison town in Udangpur.
“The explosion we heard today was different from the explosion we heard in the last two nights of the drone attack,” said Shesh Paul Vaid, a former police officer and resident of the Chamu. “It looks like a war here.”
Waid said explosions were heard from the area of the military base, adding that the target of the Army site was. Residents living near Srinagar City Airport are also air force bases, he said, shocked by the explosion of the jets and the sound of thriving.
Mohammed Yasin, a resident of Srinagar, said: “I was awake but the explosion shocked my children. They started crying.
Praveen Donthi, a senior analyst at the Indian International Crisis Group, said that even if they have not marked it as a country, the two countries are in the war.
“It has become a ruthless military terminology competition with neither side having obvious strategic ultimate goal,” Donthi said. “Finding an exit or an off-road vehicle will be challenging.”
India and Pakistan have already launched strikes and heavy cross-border fires, which have caused casualties of civilians on both sides in a few days.
In Indian-controlled Kashmir, buildings were destroyed or damaged, where powerful explosions were stripped of roofs, windows and walls, and houses with holes.
Villagers and rescue workers in the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir region screened out the rubble of houses that had been bombarded overnight on Friday while carrying the dead. Others investigated the ruins.
& Copy 2025 Canadian Press
