How did India and Pakistan arrive at a ceasefire?
At 1:30 am on 7 May, shortly after a precision military operation concluded, India’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called his Pakistani counterpart, Major General Kashif Abdullah, to convey that India had struck terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
The operation, codenamed Operation Sindoor, was launched at 1:05 am and lasted just 25 minutes, during which the Indian Armed Forces fired 24 missiles at nine terrorist camps identified as staging grounds for attacks against India. The DGMO emphasised that the strike was measured, precise, and non-escalatory, with no Pakistani military assets targeted—only terrorist infrastructure was hit.
Soon after the strike, communication lines between several world capitals and New Delhi lit up, as “diplomats and leaders who earlier wondered how India would respond to Pahalgam were now eager to know what would come next,” according to sources.
India had previously made it clear that it would not be business as usual if terror camps across the border continued to operate, and any provocation would receive a firm response. This stance was reiterated during External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s call with U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio on 1 May.
“Wahan se goli chalegi, toh yahan se gola chalega” (If bullets come from there, shells will come from here) was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s unequivocal message. “It couldn’t have been anything else—we were certain that a new normal had been established,” a source added.
Immediately after the military operation concluded, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval spoke with Marco Rubio and other key interlocutors. As calls poured in, several countries expressed concern that tensions between the two neighbours could escalate further. Leading this outreach, apart from the United States, were Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iran, and Egypt—seeking clarity, urging restraint, or encouraging dialogue.
“Our position was clear: we are open to dialogue through one communication channel the DGMO and nothing beyond that. We are not seeking escalation, but any further provocation will be met with a response,” said a source. However, despite this offer, no DGMO call came through immediately from Pakistan.
Of the many calls, at least twelve countries expressed support for India’s right to self-defence.
“Some interlocutors were preachy, but we told them, ‘this is our stand; what you tell Pakistan is your choice—our position is that if they escalate, we will escalate.’”
Diplomatic engagement with the United States intensified, especially since Washington was sponsoring a resolution at the United Nations Security Council. “There were many calls, as we couldn’t leave anything to chance with Pakistan sitting on the Security Council. But the biggest breakthrough came when Pakistan tried hard to exclude the name of the terror organisation The Resistance Force from the list. We highlighted this pattern of Pakistan shielding terror outfits targeting India in every subsequent conversation,” a source said.
Within 48 hours of the 7 May strikes, the situation escalated, drawing significant concern from global leaders. The United States urged direct dialogue between India and Pakistan, even offering to mediate. The European Union also called for both countries to engage in talks and ensure the safety of civilians amid rising tensions.
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Adel Aljubeir, made an unannounced visit to India and met with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar on Thursday to support de-escalation. Simultaneously, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi advanced efforts to promote diplomatic dialogue and minimise the risk of further escalation.
“Frankly, Pakistan was not listening to any of them and was already on an escalation ladder,” said a source. On the night of 9 May, Pakistan carried out heavy shelling across Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan along the International Border and the Line of Control. Drones were sighted at 26 locations, including suspected armed drones spanning from Baramulla to Bhuj. In Punjab’s Amritsar alone, 15 drones were spotted, most of which were neutralised after a red alert was issued. Explosions were reported in Baramulla, Kupwara, Pathankot, and Samba, with three civilians injured in Firozpur. At least nine drones were shot down in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer, with further interceptions in Barmer, Pokhran, and J&K’s Uri and Handwara.
On the same day, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy spoke to Jaishankar, urging restraint and encouraging direct dialogue to find a diplomatic path forward. Jaishankar reaffirmed that the DGMO line remained open, but stressed that Pakistan was escalating the situation and India was “adamant on zero tolerance to terrorism.” Lammy also held talks with the Pakistani leadership.
India’s retaliation to the targeting of 26 locations marked a decisive shift, prompting the United States to intensify its diplomatic efforts. Around the same time, Pakistan raised nuclear rhetoric, sparking global concern, though Islamabad later denied any concrete nuclear preparations. On 10 May, the Indian Air Force carried out escalatory precision strikes on military targets in Pakistan’s Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Chunian, Pasrur, and Sialkot.
These strikes prompted urgent U.S. engagement. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief General Asim Munir—a call reportedly initiated at Pakistan’s request. Acknowledging the rising tensions, Rubio urged both sides to explore ways to de-escalate and offered U.S. support for “constructive talks.” Hours later, Rubio called Jaishankar, conveying that “Pakistan is willing to talk” and suggesting that “constructive dialogue” was necessary.
Jaishankar reiterated that the DGMO lines would remain the only communication channel and that no political or diplomatic route would be activated by India.
In the early hours of 10 May, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance called Prime Minister Modi with a similar appeal. During the conversation, Modi stated firmly that any further attack by Pakistan would receive an even stronger response. “The Prime Minister was clear—if they attack, we will hit back harder,” a source confirmed. Messages were relayed back to Islamabad, and at 1:00 pm, Pakistan’s DGMO called his Indian counterpart. However, the Indian DGMO, held up in meetings, returned the call at 3:35 pm.
There was considerable back-and-forth between the two sides over the wording of the ceasefire statement. Following intense exchanges, both countries agreed on the final language:
“It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, in the air, and at sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time today. Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to the understanding.”
As the ceasefire agreement was finalised, U.S. President Donald Trump took to social media to publicly announce the ceasefire, signalling Washington’s active involvement in containing further escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.