ISLAMABAD (PEN) : Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has acknowledged that New Delhi agreed to a ceasefire with Pakistan in May under direct diplomatic pressure from the United States and the threat of a major Pakistani military retaliation.
Speaking to Newsweek during his recent visit to the United States, Jaishankar revealed that the decision to halt Indian military operations followed an urgent call from U.S. Vice President JD Vance to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the night of May 9.
“On the night of May 9, when US Vice President JD Vance called Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I was in the room. He told us that if we did not agree to certain terms, Pakistan would launch a major assault on India,” Jaishankar said in the interview.
Pakistan’s Military Response and U.S. Mediation
Jaishankar stated that despite the warning, Indian forces were prepared to retaliate. “That night, Pakistan launched a large-scale attack. We retaliated immediately,” he added.
He further disclosed that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted him the next morning and indicated that Pakistan was open to dialogue. The exchange of missile and drone strikes between the two countries ultimately ceased on May 10 following successful U.S. mediation.
The short but intense military escalation came in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which left 26 people dead. India blamed Pakistan-based militants for the incident.
Tensions Over the Pahalgam Attack
Describing the attack as a turning point, Jaishankar said, “The Pahalgam attack was a turning point, and there is a growing sentiment in India that enough is enough.” He asserted that India had to send a clear message that “the idea that terrorists can exist across the border and act with impunity had to be challenged — and that is exactly what we did.”
Pakistan has denied any involvement in the Pahalgam attack, but the incident rapidly escalated tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
India Reaffirms Stance Against Cross-Border Militancy
Reiterating India’s national security policy, Jaishankar said, “We want to make it absolutely clear — there will be no freedom for terrorists to operate. We will not tolerate proxy warfare any longer.”
He emphasized India’s right to self-defense, stating, “We will not allow nuclear blackmail to prevent us from defending ourselves. We’ve heard for years that because both sides are nuclear-armed, India must act with restraint — that narrative ends now.”
“If something bad happens to us, we will cross the border and target those who harm us,” the minister added.
U.S. Role in Ceasefire
U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed credit for brokering the ceasefire, a claim not officially disputed by either India or Pakistan. Pakistani officials, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, have acknowledged Washington’s mediating role.
The revelation sheds new light on the behind-the-scenes diplomacy that led to the de-escalation of one of the region’s most serious military confrontations in recent years. It also signals a shift in India’s approach to security challenges along its western border.
