Pakistan, India hold rare military talks amid post-ceasefire tensions
In a rare and significant development, Pakistan and India’s Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) held the first round of direct talks via hotline, military sources confirmed Monday, marking a tentative thaw following days of heightened conflict that nearly spiralled into full-scale war.
The exchange, described by insiders as "cautiously constructive," came just two days after both nuclear-armed rivals agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire, halting intense cross-border military activity that had gripped the region with fear.
The ceasefire deal, initially revealed by former U.S. President Donald Trump and later corroborated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, came after a week of missile strikes, drone incursions, and retaliatory operations, most notably Pakistan’s Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos, which claimed the downing of five Indian fighter jets and interception of over 70 drones.
Tensions between the two nations exploded after a deadly April 22 attack in Pahalgam (Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir), where 26 civilians were killed. India accused Pakistan-based groups—a claim Islamabad firmly rejected as baseless and inflammatory.
In the days that followed, India closed the Wagah border, suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, and revoked Pakistani visas, steps Islamabad termed an "act of war."
The eventual truce was largely brokered by the U.S., with high-level diplomacy led by Secretary Rubio and Vice President JD Vance, engaging both sides at the prime ministerial and military intelligence levels.
While military operations across land, air, and sea have officially ceased, reports of minor ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) continue to surface, casting a shadow over the fragile peace.
Monday’s DGMO-level talks are being viewed as a critical step to establish communication channels and mechanisms to manage future crises, especially amid pressure from global powers urging sustained dialogue.