Jaishankar Asserts India-Pakistan Ceasefire Resulted from Direct Military Talks, Not Foreign Mediation
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, currently in Berlin on the final leg of his three-nation tour to the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany, has clarified that the recent ceasefire between India and Pakistan was the result of direct military communication between the two countries, not mediated by international actors.
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| Image Source: FM on X |
Speaking to Dutch broadcaster NOS, Jaishankar stated that the decision to halt hostilities was reached through a hotline exchange between the military leaderships of both nations. “The cessation of firing and military action was something which was negotiated directly between India and Pakistan,” he said. “We made it very clear—to the United States and others—that if Pakistan wanted to stop the firing, their general had to call our general. And that is what happened.”
Addressing the press alongside FM Johann Wadephul @AussenMinDE in Berlin.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 23, 2025
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According to Indian officials, the ceasefire was signalled by a hotline call from the Pakistani military on May 10, which was followed by a reciprocal response from India.
Jaishankar acknowledged that several countries, including the US and Gulf nations, engaged both sides diplomatically out of concern over the escalating tensions, but emphasized that the final agreement to end hostilities was strictly bilateral.
The ceasefire followed heightened tensions triggered by a terror attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Military sources claimed the operation eliminated over 100 militants affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.
Pakistan responded with cross-border shelling and attempted drone incursions, prompting Indian strikes on airfields, radar installations, and communication hubs. On May 10, India escalated further with airstrikes on eight Pakistani airbases, marking the peak of the military exchange before the ceasefire took effect.
