India, Pakistan Set to Hold Military Talks as Ceasefire Brings Temporary Calm

By Staff, Agencies

The militaries of India and Pakistan are preparing for high-level talks after a US-mediated ceasefire brought a rare night of calm to the contested border region of Kashmir.

Both nations, armed with nuclear capabilities, had engaged in a fierce exchange of missile and drone strikes in recent days, resulting in the deaths of dozens of civilians.

The ceasefire, announced Saturday by US President Donald Trump following intense diplomatic pressure, appears to be holding. Sunday marked the first peaceful night after days of hostilities, although some schools in the region remain closed as a precaution.

India’s military confirmed it had sent a hotline message to Pakistan regarding earlier ceasefire violations and warned of retaliation if such incidents occur again. Pakistan’s military, however, denied any breach of the ceasefire.

India’s foreign ministry stated that the Directors-General of Military Operations from both countries will hold discussions on Monday to determine next steps. Pakistan has yet to publicly comment on the upcoming talks.

Tensions escalated after India accused Pakistan of being behind an attack that killed 26 tourists — an allegation Islamabad denies, calling for a neutral investigation. In response, India claimed to have targeted nine “terrorist infrastructure” sites in Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir. Pakistan refuted this, stating the strikes hit civilian areas.

Despite the military tensions, both countries’ financial markets showed signs of recovery. Pakistan’s stock index surged nearly nine percent on Monday after halting trading for an hour. Meanwhile, India’s benchmark indices also rebounded after losses earlier in the week.

The International Monetary Fund has approved a new $1.4 billion climate resilience loan for Pakistan, along with the first review of its existing $7 billion program.

While Islamabad welcomed the US role in facilitating the ceasefire and accepted President Trump’s offer to mediate on the Kashmir issue, New Delhi reiterated its position that such matters should be resolved bilaterally, rejecting third-party involvement. India’s main opposition party, Congress, called for a special parliamentary session to address recent developments and demanded the government clarify its stance on US comments regarding Kashmir.

Kashmir remains a deeply contentious issue between the two neighbors. Though both India and Pakistan control parts of the region, each claims it in its entirety. India accuses Pakistan of supporting an armed insurgency in its portion of Kashmir, a charge Islamabad denies, asserting it only offers moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiri separatists.