India And Pakistan Agree To Ceasefire And Halting Escalating Tensions


India and Pakistan have reached a bilateral ceasefire agreement, effective from 5:00 PM IST today (10 May 2025), halting days of intense military exchanges along the Line of Control (LOC). The announcement, confirmed by India’s Ministry of External Affairs, follows a period of heightened tensions, which began with a deadly terrorist attack in Jammu & Kashmir’s Pahalgam district backed by Pakistan on 22 April.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, addressing a press conference in New Delhi, stated that the ceasefire was finalized after a direct conversation between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMO) of both nations.

The Pakistani DGMO initiated contact with his Indian counterpart at 3:35 PM IST on Saturday, proposing an immediate cessation of hostilities. “Both sides agreed to stop all firing and military action on land, in the air, and at sea with effect from 17:00 hours IST,” Misri said, emphasizing that the agreement was worked out directly between India and Pakistan without any third-party mediation.

The ceasefire comes after India’s decisive military response, codenamed Operation Sindoor, targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation was launched in retaliation for the 22 April Pahalgam terrorist attack, which claimed 26 lives, almost all of them Indian Hindu tourists.

India’s Ministry of Defence rejected Pakistan’s false claims of targeting civilian infrastructure, asserting that its strikes were precise and aimed solely at terrorist facilities. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sophia Qureshi also debunked Pakistani assertions of destroying Indian airfields in Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, and Bhuj, calling them “false claims.”

According to a report by NDTV, sources close to the Indian government revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi instructed National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to ensure the ceasefire was agreed strictly upon India’s terms. This stance followed Pakistan’s outreach through its NSA and Air ISI chief, Asim Malik, seeking de-escalation after India’s final strikes on Pakistani airbases.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar reiterated India’s unwavering position on terrorism, stating, “India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so.”

The Indian Armed Forces, including the Border Security Force (BSF), have been instructed to enforce the ceasefire while maintaining heightened alertness. Commodore Raghu Nair warned that any misadventure by Pakistan would meet a robust response.

The ceasefire has been welcomed as a step toward de-escalation, with Indian officials crediting the nation’s resolute military and diplomatic strategy for compelling Pakistan to seek peace. However, India has clarified that the agreement pertains solely to halting military actions, with no decision to resume broader talks or relax other measures, such as the ban on Pakistani nationals with short-term visas and keeping the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance.

See Also: Indian Army Posts Video Of Strike On Pakistani Military Post; ‘Befitting Reply Was Given’





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