Now, we are turning to a major developing story from South Asia. India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire. This agreement follows days of intense cross-border shelling, missile strikes, and drone attacks. U.S. President Donald Trump announced earlier that both sides have agreed to halt hostilities, at least temporarily.
Confirmation has also come from Islamabad, where Pakistani officials say India has accepted terms for a ceasefire.
At 15:35 IST today, the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of Pakistan called his Indian counterpart. It was agreed that all military action—whether on land, sea, or in the air—would cease as of 17:00 IST. Orders have been issued to field units on both sides. Notably, the two DGMOs are scheduled to speak again on May 12 at noon, suggesting further coordination is expected.
A Look Back: What Led to This Moment
This development follows a violent and dangerous escalation between the two nuclear-armed nations. The immediate trigger: a militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir last month. What followed were the most serious clashes since 1999, including drone and missile exchanges that resulted in civilian casualties on both sides.
The U.S. claims to have played a mediating role. President Trump said his administration worked overnight to broker the ceasefire. However, India’s narrative differs.
Reactions from Islamabad
In an interview with Pakistan’s Geo News, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed a “full-fledged” ceasefire would begin at 4:30 PM local time. He acknowledged that multiple countries—including the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the U.K.—actively facilitated the ceasefire over the past 24 hours. Dar also emphasized that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and the army chief were directly involved in the negotiation process. He expressed relief and congratulated the Pakistani public, noting the national anxiety caused by the heightened tensions.
India’s Take: No Third-Party Mediation
DW’s India Bureau Chief, Sandra Petersmann, reporting from New Delhi, highlighted a key difference: India does not acknowledge any external mediation. According to Indian officials, the ceasefire arrangement was worked out bilaterally—initiated by Pakistan’s DGMO, who reached out to his Indian counterpart. A high-level meeting followed in Delhi between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his military and security leadership, after which the ceasefire decision was finalized.
Petersmann underscored India’s firm stance on foreign policy independence. Despite reports that U.S. Senator Marco Rubio was in touch with both countries, Indian authorities remain adamant that the resolution was domestic and direct.
Why the Shift Toward De-escalation?
Sandra Petersmann explained that the scale of hostilities fundamentally changed the calculus. The conflict reached levels unseen in decades, with constant missile and drone attacks. The presence of nuclear weapons on both sides added gravity. While India maintains it only responds to Pakistani actions, both governments may have realized that diplomacy was the only off-ramp from a potential catastrophe.
DW reporter Binish Javeed added from Berlin that early signs of a shift appeared in official rhetoric. Both sides began mentioning “de-escalation” publicly, hinting that backchannel talks were likely already underway.
What Next?
Future negotiations could involve regional and global actors. The U.S. holds strong ties with India, while Pakistan’s closest ally remains China. Other Gulf nations such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia have also been diplomatically active.
The next key moment: the follow-up DGMO call scheduled for May 12. If the ceasefire holds beyond that, it could open the door for broader political dialogue—possibly even touching on the core issue of Kashmir, the long-disputed and divided territory that continues to drive tensions between India and Pakistan