NEW DELHI (Diya TV) — The United States has called for calm and cooperation between India and Pakistan following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians, as tensions escalate between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke separately this week with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to urge both sides to prioritize peace and stability in South Asia.
“The Secretary expressed his sorrow for the lives lost in the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam, and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to cooperation with India against terrorism,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement. She added that Rubio also encouraged India and Pakistan to “de-escalate tensions, re-establish direct communications, and maintain peace and security in South Asia.”
Jaishankar in a post on X said he discussed the Pahalgam attack with Rubio on Wednesday, stating, “Its perpetrators, backers and planners must be brought to justice.” India has blamed “cross-border linkages” for the attack and has vowed to take strong action.
The Indian government believes the April 22 assault, which targeted a civilian bus near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, was orchestrated from across the border. In a high-level meeting with top defense officials, Prime Minister Narendra Modi granted the armed forces “complete operational freedom” to determine India’s response, according to government sources cited by The Hindu.
Following the attack, India took a series of retaliatory measures, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting down the land border crossing at Attari, and downgrading diplomatic relations with Pakistan. In response, Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian carriers and suspended bilateral trade, including commerce routed through third countries.
Sharif, in a phone call with Rubio, rejected India’s allegations linking Pakistan to the attack. He instead called for an “impartial investigation,” according to a readout from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, the U.S. State Department noted that Rubio pressed Pakistani officials to “cooperate in investigating this unconscionable attack.”
Further intensifying the diplomatic exchanges, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also spoke with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday. Hegseth conveyed that Washington supports “India’s right to defend itself and its fight against terrorism,” according to a defense ministry statement reported by The Indian Express.
Singh, for his part, described Pakistan as a “rogue state” fueling global terrorism and said the international community must not “turn a blind eye” to such threats.
The United States has historically tried to maintain a delicate balance in South Asia, supporting India’s counter-terrorism efforts while encouraging both sides to avoid armed conflict. This latest outreach from Washington reflects concern over the risk of escalation following one of the deadliest attacks in Kashmir in recent years.
