India and Pakistan announce immediate ceasefire, officials confirm
India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire, halting all “military action on land and in the air and sea,” Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan Ishaq Dar confirmed the decision, underscoring Pakistan’s long-standing commitment to maintaining peace in the region.
“Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” said Dar.
Further details were provided by Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who noted that military officials from both sides engaged in direct communication to finalize the agreement.
“The Director General of Military Operations of Pakistan called the Director General of Military Operations of India at 15.35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 17:00 hours IST today. Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding,” he said.
The ceasefire comes following diplomatic engagement facilitated by the United States. Secretary Marco Rubio confirmed that he and Vice President Vance had held discussions with both countries over the past two days.
“Over the past 48 hours, VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik,” he wrote in a post on X. “We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace.”
U.S. President Donald Trump also welcomed the development, highlighting the constructive dialogue between the two nations.
“India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire. After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Trump wrote.
Looking ahead, Secretary Rubio indicated that the ceasefire would be followed by broader discussions. In his statement, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that further talks are scheduled to continue on May 12 at 12:00.
