India, Pakistan Signal Intent to Ease Tensions After Strikes
(Bloomberg) -- India and Pakistan signaled they are willing to de-escalate after strikes on military bases by both sides on Saturday raised fears of all-out war between the nuclear-armed nations and prompted warnings from the US and China.
As Trump Reshapes Housing Policy, Renters Face Rollback of Rights
Is Trump's Plan to Reopen the Notorious Alcatraz Prison Realistic?
What's Behind the Rise in Serious Injuries on New York City's Streets?
NYC Warns of 17% Drop in Foreign Tourists Due to Trump Policies
Vail to Borrow Muni Debt to Ease Ski Resort Town Housing Crunch
'If India stops, we will stop,' Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said in an interview with Samaa TV, just hours after the army announced it had struck several Indian military sites in retaliation for New Delhi's missile attacks on Pakistani airbases.
At a briefing in New Delhi, Indian officials said any future action would depend on Pakistan's next steps. 'Indian Armed Forces reiterate commitment to non-escalation provided it is reciprocated by Pakistani military,' said Wing Commander Vyomika Singh. The briefing primarily focused on how India repelled Pakistan's military attacks earlier in the day.
The armed standoff, now in its fourth day, is at its most dangerous level in years, with both sides firing missiles and deploying drones over key military sites and densely populated cities. The US, China and Saudi Arabia are among those rushing to find a diplomatic solution. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a rare call with Pakistan army chief Asim Munir, and a separate one with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in a bid to de-escalate tensions.
Rubio 'continued to urge both parties to find ways to de-escalate and offered U.S. assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflict,' spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement.
While tensions between the two South Asian rivals remain high, there was a slight change in tone after the military strikes on Saturday. Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, speaking on Geo Television on Saturday, denied local media reports claiming Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had called a meeting of the National Command Authority, the body responsible for decisions on nuclear weapons.
'We hope India will now choose dialog over escalation,' Ahsan Iqbal, Pakistan's planning minister, said in a statement posted on the ministry's X account. He added Pakistan doesn't wish to see the no-first-use nuclear doctrine unravel.
Even so, Pakistan's army wields significant control in the country and a decision to de-escalate will likely rest with the powerful army chief.
Early Saturday, the army said it began a counter-attack after Indian jets struck three of Pakistan's airbases with missiles, including Noor Airbase in Rawalpindi, which holds the army's headquarters and is located close to the capital Islamabad. The army said it retaliated by hitting Indian airbases and other military sites in Punjab state and the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir region.
At the briefing in New Delhi on Saturday, officials denied Pakistan's claims that Indian airbases were destroyed. India's army said it carried out 'precision attacks' on military targets in Pakistan, including Sialkot airbase, but didn't name the military site in Rawalpindi.
Vikram Misri, India's foreign secretary, blamed Pakistan for escalating the conflict by targeting civilian sites in cities like Srinagar, the capital of India's Jammu and Kashmir region, and Rajouri. He said Pakistan had targeted a medical center, school and airbases in Srinagar, Awantipora and Udhampur. Pakistan denied hitting any civilian sites.
Pakistan closed its airspace for all flights until noon Sunday. India also announced the closure of 32 airports in the northern and western parts of the country, and suspended 25 air route segments, until May 15.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was 'deeply concerned about the escalation' in hostilities and called on both sides to 'refrain from any action' that could further heighten tensions. Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan held calls with his counterparts in India and Pakistan, also calling for a de-escalation of the conflict.
Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven said in a statement that further military escalation poses a 'serious threat' to regional stability and both countries should engage in 'direct dialog towards a peaceful outcome.'
Tensions between the countries erupted on April 22, when gunmen killed 26 civilians in India's Jammu and Kashmir region, mainly Hindu tourists. India called the attack an act of terrorism and accused Pakistan of involvement, allegations Islamabad has denied.
This week, the situation escalated dramatically when India carried out a operation against what it described as terrorist camps inside Pakistan. The strikes on nine targets, which Pakistan's army said killed 31 civilians, were the deepest breach of Pakistani territory by India since the 1971 war.
The conflict has roiled financial markets in both nations. India's NSE Nifty 50 index dropped more than 1% on Friday, the most in a month. After plunging on Thursday, Pakistan stocks rose on Friday before the International Monetary Fund approved a $1 billion loan disbursement.
Pakistan and India have clashed several times over the disputed region of Kashmir since independence from Britain in 1947. The last time the two nations came close to an all-out war was in 2019, after a suicide bomber killed 40 members of India's security forces.
India blamed Pakistan and responded about two weeks later with its first airstrikes on Pakistani soil since 1971. Pakistan retaliated by shooting down an Indian jet and arresting the pilot, who was later released. Tensions died down soon afterward.
--With assistance from Chiranjivi Chakraborty.
(Updates with comments from Saudi Arabia)
How the Lizard King Built a Reptile Empire Selling $50,000 Geckos
US Border Towns Are Being Ravaged by Canada's Furious Boycott
Maybe AI Slop Is Killing the Internet, After All
With the New York Liberty, Clara Wu Tsai Aims for the First $1 Billion Women's Sports Franchise
Pre-Tariff Car Buying Frenzy Leaves Americans With a Big Debt Problem
©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
39 minutes ago
- Fox News
Vance defends Gabbard as 'critical part' of Trump team after president dismissed Iran nuke threat comments
Print Close By Diana Stancy Published June 18, 2025 Vice President JD Vance insists Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is still an essential team member in Trump's "coalition" after President Donald Trump said he "didn't care" what she'd previously told lawmakers about Iran's nuclear threat. "DNI Gabbard is a veteran, a patriot, a loyal supporter of President Trump and a critical part of the coalition he built in 2024," Vance said in a statement Wednesday to Fox News Digital. "She is an essential member of our team, and we're grateful for her tireless work to keep America safe from foreign threats." TRUMP BLOWS OFF GABBARD DOWNPLAYING IRAN NUKE THREAT, BUT WH STILL SAYS PRESIDENT AND INTEL CHIEF ARE IN SYNC Vance and Gabbard have both historically been outspoken leaders of the non-interventionist camp making up the Trump administration. Both historically have backed a foreign policy doctrine that supports minimal interference with other nations' affairs. By comparison, other, more hawkish members of Trump's Cabinet, like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have historically backed military intervention in foreign conflicts. Vance has publicly supported Trump as the administration contemplates next steps to address Iran, though. Vance said Tuesday that while those worried about foreign intervention are right to be concerned, Trump has "earned some trust on this issue." "And having seen this up close and personal, I can assure you that he is only interested in using the American military to accomplish the American people's goals," Vance said in a Truth Social post Tuesday. "Whatever he does, that is his focus." Vance's statement of support for Gabbard comes after Trump appeared to discount Gabbard's March Senate Intelligence Committee statements, when she said she believed Iran was not actively building a nuclear weapon. Gabbard told lawmakers in March the intelligence community assessed that Iran was "not building a nuclear weapon, and Supreme Leader Khamenei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program that he suspended in 2003," she said. ISRAEL-IRAN CONFLICT: LIVE UPDATES She did add that "Iran's enriched uranium stockpile is at its highest levels and is unprecedented for a state without nuclear weapons." "Iran will likely continue efforts to counter Israel and press for U.S. military withdrawal from the region by aiding, arming and helping to reconstitute its loose consortium of like-minded terrorist actors, which it refers to as its axis of resistance," she said during the March hearing. Additionally, Gabbard released a video June 10 in which she stated the world was "on the brink of nuclear annihilation." Politico reported that Trump told associates at the White House that Gabbard was out of line and believed the video was an attempt to prevent him from endorsing Israel attacking Iran. Alexa Henning, Gabbard's deputy chief of staff, said in a post on X Tuesday that Politico's story was "total clickbait." HOW CLOSE WAS IRAN TO A NUCLEAR WEAPON BEFORE ISRAEL'S STRIKE ON TEHRAN? Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One Monday he believed Iran was "very close" to obtaining a nuclear weapon. When asked specifically about Gabbard's March testimony, Trump stood firm in his assessment of Iran's nuclear capabilities. "I don't care what she said," Trump said. "I think they were very close to having one." Still, an official with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in a statement to Fox News Digital Wednesday that Gabbard and the president are aligned on Iran. "Just because Iran is not building a nuclear weapon right now doesn't mean they aren't 'very close' as President Trump said on Air Force One," the official said. "POTUS and DNI Gabbard's statements are congruent." Gabbard wasn't invited to Camp David in Maryland to convene with other military officials and Cabinet members in June. However, she was in the White House's Situation Room Tuesday as Trump kept an eye on updates in the Middle East. A White House official told Fox News Digital Tuesday that Trump and Gabbard's views and statements on the matter are consistent with one another, noting that Gabbard said in March that she believed Iran had the capability to build a nuclear weapon. VANCE DEFENDS TRUMP'S IRAN POSITION AMID 'CRAZY STUFF ON SOCIAL MEDIA' Trump told reporters Wednesday at the White House he hadn't decided yet whether he would engage the U.S. in strikes targeting Iran but said that the coming days or the "next week is going to be very big." "Yes, I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do. I can tell you this, that Iran's got a lot of trouble, and they want to negotiate," Trump told reporters Wednesday. "And I said, 'Why didn't you negotiate with me before all this death and destruction? Why didn't you go?' I said to people, 'Why didn't you negotiate with me two weeks ago? You could have done fine. You would have had a country.' It's very sad to watch this." Fox News' Emma Colton contributed to this report. Print Close URL
Bloomberg
an hour ago
- Bloomberg
Pakistan Army Chief Discusses Israel-Iran Conflict With Trump
President Donald Trump met Pakistan's army chief Wednesday in Washington as the US considers supporting Israeli airstrikes on Iran, a country with a cooperative and complex relationship with the government in Islamabad. As the leader of the military, Pakistan's Asim Munir is widely seen as the most powerful person in Pakistan, wielding the final word on critical matters from foreign policy to internal politics and the economy.
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
U.S. Will Resume Suspended Foreign Student Visas—Here's Why
Student visa appointments suspended last month by the State Department will soon resume, according to multiple outlets, but applicants will now have their social media profiles vetted by the federal government as a part of visa processing. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) Student and exchange visa applicants will have their 'entire online presence' scrubbed, CNN reported, citing a cable from the State Department that noted 'limited access to, or visibility of, online presence could be construed as an effort to evade or hide certain activity.' This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
