Calls for de-escalation between Pakistan and India are growing following last night’s missile strikes within Pakistani territory and the Pakistan Air Force’s retaliatory downing of five Indian Air Force jets, several drones and a brigade headquarters in Srinagar.
According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the downed IAF jets including three French-made Rafales and one MIG-29 Fulcrum. He said India had also targeted the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project, warning that “water is a red-line” for Pakistan.
The mounting tensions, bringing the neighboring nuclear powers to the brink of war, have prompted global calls for restraint, emphasizing that the world cannot afford an outright conflict between Pakistan and India.
The first statement came from U.S. President Donald Trump, who hoped the clashes would conclude “very quickly.” Describing India’s airstrikes into Pakistani territory as a “shame,” he acknowledged that the longstanding dispute between the neighboring nations had raised concerns of the current situation.
“We continue to urge Pakistan and India to work towards a responsible resolution that maintains long-term peace and regional stability in South Asia,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce subsequently told reporters.
U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes, in a separate statement, said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken with his counterparts in India and Pakistan and encouraged both countries to avoid any further escalation through dialogue. “He [Rubio] is encouraging India and Pakistan to reopen a channel between their leadership to defuse the situation and prevent further escalation,” he added.
Maximum Restraint
In a statement issued by spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his concern over Indian strikes across the Line of Control and the international border. “He calls for maximum military restraint from both countries. The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan,” he added.
China, which neighbors both Pakistan and India, similarly urged both countries to exercise restraint and prioritize peace and stability. In a statement, its foreign ministry said it regrets India’s military action and is concerned about the evolving situation.
According to the Foreign Office, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar after India’s unprovoked aggression and expressed solidarity with Pakistan. It said Fidan had conveyed deep concern over the worsening regional security situation, with both ministers agreeing to stay in close contact as developments unfold.
Diplomatic Solution
In a statement, Russia’s foreign ministry said it was deeply concerned about the deepening military confrontation between India and Pakistan. It urged both countries to show restraint. Earlier this week, Russia’s foreign minister had offered to mediate between the two countries.
Also on Wednesday, Azerbaijan expressed its concern over the further escalation of tensions between Pakistan and India. Condemning the military attacks on Pakistan, it expressed solidarity with the people of Pakistan and expressed condolences to the families of the innocent victims and a speedy recovery for the injured. “We call on all parties to exercise restraint and to resolve the conflict through diplomatic means,” it added.
U.K. Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told Sky News his Cabinet colleague David Lammy had reached out to both nations in an effort to avoid further escalation. He said the situation in Kashmir was “hugely worrying, our message will be that we are a friend, a partner to both countries.”
Noting that the U.K. was ready to support both countries, he said both had interest in “regional stability, in dialogue, in de-escalation and anything we can do to support that, we are here and willing to do.”