WASHINGTON, May 29 (Alliance News): The United States has once again played a pivotal role in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan by urging New Delhi to avoid aggressive posturing and maintain peace in the region.
According to diplomatic sources, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau conveyed this message bluntly to Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri during a meeting in Washington this week.
The diplomatic intervention follows heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors after India accused Pakistan of killing tourists in Pahalgam, located in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), on May 6 — a claim Pakistan strongly rejected as baseless and provocative.
Pakistan exercised its right to self-defense in response to the accusations and aggression, reportedly downing five Indian aircraft — including four Rafales and a drone — and targeting military installations used in attacks against Pakistan.
Pakistan’s military action was followed by a US-brokered ceasefire, which is currently holding despite continued hostile rhetoric from Indian leadership.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently stoked further controversy by making inflammatory remarks, stating that “Pakistanis should eat bread; otherwise, my bullets are always there,” further drawing international concern.
Indian Foreign Secretary Misri, who is on a three-day official visit to the US beginning May 27, met with Deputy Secretary of State Landau on Wednesday.
The official US readout of the meeting emphasized continued close partnership with India but did not mention Pakistan — a point seen by analysts as a diplomatic win for Islamabad.
Despite public expressions of bilateral cooperation, diplomatic insiders confirmed that Washington has strongly urged India to refrain from any further military provocations. The US is reportedly placing high priority on regional peace and views any escalation as detrimental to broader geopolitical stability.
During the meeting, Landau also reiterated calls for India to make its market access policies more transparent and to expand cooperation on migration management and anti-narcotics efforts. He further reminded India of commitments made during Prime Minister Modi’s meeting with former President Trump, particularly on the repatriation of illegal Indian migrants.
Observers in Islamabad view the absence of any mention of Pakistan in the official US statement as a subtle but clear indication of Washington’s dissatisfaction with India’s recent aggressive moves — underscoring Pakistan’s effective diplomatic engagement.
