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Calm Returns to Pakistan-India Border as Both Sides Agree to Ceasefire

May 13, 2025

By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD — Tensions between Pakistan and India eased on Sunday after both countries agreed to a ceasefire, bringing a temporary calm to the volatile Line of Control (LoC) and other border areas following days of deadly cross-border attacks and military escalation.

LoC, a defacto border dividing disputed Kashmir region between the two countries.

The agreement came after intense backchannel diplomacy and international pressure, particularly from the United States, China, and the United Nations, urging both nuclear-armed neighbors to step back from the brink of full-scale war.

Military officials in Islamabad and New Delhi confirmed that the ceasefire came into effect late Saturday night and has largely held across the LoC and working boundary. Residents in border villages on both sides reported a noticeable reduction in shelling and air activity, offering a sense of relief after a tense and violent week.

The de-escalation follows Pakistan’s retaliatory strikes deep inside Indian territory on Saturday, which Islamabad said were in response to earlier Indian airstrikes that killed dozens of civilians in Pakistani-administered areas. India had also accused Pakistan of harboring militants responsible for a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir last month — an allegation Islamabad strongly denies.

In separate statements, both countries reiterated their commitment to peace but warned they would remain vigilant.

“We remain committed to regional stability and peace, but Pakistan retains the right to respond to any future aggression,” said Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the ceasefire and called on both sides to pursue dialogue. “We urge both India and Pakistan to continue diplomatic engagement to resolve their differences peacefully,” he said.

While the ceasefire has brought a temporary pause to hostilities, analysts caution that the situation remains fragile unless followed by sustained diplomatic efforts to address the underlying tensions, particularly in Kashmir.