Military officials of India, Pakistan to discuss next steps as ceasefire holds

Indian and Pakistani military officials are scheduled to hold talks on Monday to discuss the next steps following a ceasefire that ended four days of intense cross-border hostilities—the worst in nearly three decades.

The ceasefire, announced on Saturday by U.S. President Donald Trump, brought a return to calm in the Himalayan border region. After initial reports of violations, Sunday night passed peacefully, according to the Indian Army. However, some schools in the area remain closed as a precaution.

India’s military sent a “hotline” message to Pakistan on Sunday, expressing concern over earlier violations and warning of retaliation if the ceasefire is breached again. A Pakistani military spokesperson denied any violations had taken place.

India’s foreign ministry confirmed that both countries’ director generals of military operations would hold a conversation at 1200 hours (0630 GMT) on Monday. Islamabad has not yet commented on the planned call.

The ceasefire followed a deadly escalation that began after India accused Pakistan of orchestrating an attack that killed 26 tourists. In response, Indian forces launched strikes on what it claimed were nine “terrorist infrastructure” sites in Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir. Pakistan, however, said the sites targeted were civilian, and it denied any role in the attack, calling for an independent investigation.

The two nuclear-armed neighbours had exchanged missiles and drone fire, hitting each other’s military installations and resulting in dozens of civilian deaths.

Islamabad has expressed gratitude to Washington for its role in facilitating the ceasefire and welcomed President Trump’s offer to mediate the Kashmir issue. New Delhi, however, has remained silent on any U.S. involvement, reaffirming its position that issues with Pakistan must be resolved bilaterally without third-party mediation.

The conflict over Kashmir remains at the heart of the tensions. Both India and Pakistan claim the region in full but control only parts of it. India blames Pakistan for supporting an armed insurgency in its part of Kashmir that began in 1989, while Pakistan maintains that it only provides diplomatic and moral support to the separatist movement.

The scheduled talks between the top military officials could be a critical step in maintaining the fragile peace—though the underlying disputes remain unresolved.

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