On May 10th, 2025 at 17:00 hrs IST, a ceasefire came into being between India and Pakistan per the announcements of the respective countries, preceded by a tweet from the US President Mr. Donald Trump and a tweet from Mr. Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State. The Indian Government, on the other hand, claimed that it was the result of a direction from the Indian External Affairs Mr. S. Jaishankar to initiate the ceasefire via the Director General of Military Operations. It must also be borne in mind that this event was preceded by a visit from Mr. J. D. Vance the Vice-President of the US. Whatever be the reason, it is something that must be welcomed by all peace-loving citizens of both India and Pakistan.
The events preceding these will be grist for the mill for various media pundits and military experts as to who won the undeclared war. There will be a fog over the actual military losses and moves of both countries, with the launch of the strikes by India entitled Operation Sindoor on May 7th, on supposed military targets and training camps across the border from Kashmir, as a retaliation for the attack that took place on April 22nd at Pahalgam in which 26 persons lost their lives. The media has reported the circumstances under which heavily armed men targeted and killed tourists after asking them for their identities and letting women go. As with most such events there has been no investigation, no one has been brought to book, and no one knows who these assailants were and what their intentions were. The Indian Government immediately took steps to create a war-like atmosphere by blaming Pakistan without any evidence, and threatened retaliation.
In the short 3 days of the war, much firing took place across the borders, many missile and drone attacks. Both sides claim to have repulsed attacks, and both sides claim that they inflicted great damage on the `enemy’. The full import of the military engagement will be known only much later if at all. It is likely Pakistan was very capable of defending itself and its capabilities came as a surprise to India. It is also likely that major arms manufacturers and exporters used this opportunity to test there wares for an eventual showdown between the US and, e.g., China. It is also likely that an event like this was needed to draw India deeper into the US camp as the encirclement of China looms on the horizon as these two countries are locked in a trade war for now, which may yet turn into a hot war. The plethora of possibilities remains immense.
While there was much bravado and bluff and bluster, no one was prepared for the announcement of the ceasefire which came with no advance signal that such a ceasefire was in preparation. The people of India were neither consulted in any manner about the launch of the war, nor of the ceasefire. The same is true for the people of Pakistan who also remain marginalised from any decision making. India and Pakistan have been in a deadlock for over 75 years since the Partition, and especially after 1948 when Kashmir was de facto divided between the two countries. Nevertheless, they have negotiated, e.g., the Indus River Waters Treaty in 1960 and have a large number of agreements for trade and for people to people contact, as the fraternal peoples enjoy the same culture and credo, and even have family ties across the borders.
Indeed, the end of the conflict can only benefit the peoples of both countries, with a lowering of tensions and hostilities, and pave the path to prosperity and growth and development. It is the experience of the peoples of the world, and of India and Pakistan and of Kashmir that war does not in any way mitigate any of the problems, and causes needless suffering through direct destruction, loss of life and limb and vitiating the environment.
Let us use this opportunity to call on the peoples of the countries and the governments to end the hostilities once and for all. Let them investigate the Pahalagam massacre and bring the mischief makers and their masterminds to book. Let us condole the deaths of the victims of the massacre and of the victims of the military actions and look forward to a new chapter of peace.
by BA and Venkatesh Sundaram
