On Thursday night, Indian and Pakistani forces engaged in artillery exchanges and small arms fire along the Line of Control (LOC) in Kashmir.
Residents described the clashes as the most severe hostilities between the two nations since the 1999 war.
“It’s common to hear gunfire between India and Pakistan here, but last night felt different,” a local from the border town shared with the Associated Press.
India asserted that its response came after Pakistani forces targeted their positions with shells, mortars, and small arms fire.
Additionally, India accused Pakistan of deploying around 400 drones into its airspace overnight, aimed at several military sites along India’s western border. The Indian Air Force claimed many drones were intercepted through various means.
Pakistani officials, however, denied these claims and stated they were responding defensively to an Indian attack, aiming at what they called India’s “military department.”
In a counterclaim, Pakistan alleged that India had also sent drones into its airspace, which were shot down by their forces.
“It’s unfortunate that India’s recklessness has heightened tensions between these nuclear-armed nations,” said Shafqat Ali Khan, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, during a press conference in Islamabad.
He further lamented that “Indian jingoism and war hysteria should alarm the world.”
“We’re teetering on the brink of war. Pakistan will not compromise on security,” asserted the country’s Home Minister Mohsin during a conversation with Ambassador Natalie Baker.
Vikram Dhoraswami, India’s High Commissioner in the UK, offered a rebuttal, indicating that the “initial escalation” was provoked by an April 22 incident involving a “Pakistani-sponsored terrorist group” that targeted tourists in Kashmir.
Dhoraswami reaffirmed India’s stance that their recent airstrikes were “accurate, targeted, rational, and moderate.”
“We’ve made it clear that we aim to avoid military escalation,” he noted. “Both sides have acknowledged this in their statements, which have not been violated by our operations in airspace,” he added.
Dhoraswami dismissed Pakistan’s claims about shooting down Indian fighter jets, suggesting that if Pakistan felt satisfied with their actions, perhaps they could use this as a chance to step back from further conflict.
“If they want to bolster their national pride by claiming they achieved something, maybe they could take it as an opportunity to ease the situation,” he remarked.
“We’re not looking to escalate, but if Pakistan retaliates, we’ll respond in kind, as we have before,” he warned.
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance highlighted that the US aims to defuse tensions but acknowledged their limited influence over both nations.
Although the US maintains strong ties with India, it recognizes Pakistan’s close relationship with China, creating a complex diplomatic landscape.
Vance stated that the US would distance itself from circumstances that escalate into a full-scale conflict, noting, “We hope this situation doesn’t evolve into a wider regional war.”
Pakistan’s ambassador to the US, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, mentioned that there were ongoing communications with India at the national security level and accused India of igniting and escalating the situation, emphasizing that de-escalation lies with New Delhi.
“This escalation must stop, both in terms of actions taken and the accompanying rhetoric,” Sheikh urged.
He further emphasized, “The responsibility for de-escalation falls on India, but there are limits to our restraint. Pakistan reserves the right to respond amidst increasing pressure from public opinion on the government.”
Additionally, India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting asked all media platforms operating in India to halt streaming content that might incite animosity toward Pakistan and threatened India’s unity and security.
