Washington: As tensions continue to rise between India and Pakistan, the United States urged both countries to de-escalate the situation, while making it clear that it will not directly intervene in the conflict. US Vice President JD Vance, speaking in a television interview on Thursday, said the ongoing military exchange between the two nuclear-armed neighbours is “fundamentally none of our business.”
Vance added that while the US is concerned about the possibility of a conflict between two nuclear powers, its role would be limited to encouraging peace through diplomatic channels. He said that President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio also expressed the need for tensions to calm down as quickly as possible.
“America can’t tell the Indians to lay down their arms. We can’t tell the Pakistanis to lay down their arms. What we can do is try to encourage both sides to de-escalate,” Vance said. He further explained that the US cannot control the decisions made by India or Pakistan but hopes that leaders on both sides will prevent the conflict from escalating into a larger or more dangerous situation.
“We’re worried, yes. No one wants a nuclear war. But we don’t believe it will reach that point,” Vance said. “The job of diplomacy and responsible leadership in both countries is to avoid such a disaster,” he added.
Background of Operation Sindoor
Vance and his family were in India for an official visit when the Pahalgam terror attack took place on April 22, killing 26 people, mostly tourists in Jammu and Kashmir. The incident prompted India to launch Operation Sindoor two weeks later on May 7, targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
In response, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases in Jammu, Pathankot, Udhampur, and other areas using drones and missiles on Thursday night. India’s air defence systems successfully neutralised all these attempts. Following this, India conducted strikes on Pakistani air defence systems, including one in Lahore, according to Indian defence officials.
India’s Ministry of Defence said the country is “fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and ensure the safety of its people.”
US refuses to intervene militarily
Earlier on Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to both India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. In his call with Jaishankar, Rubio offered condolences for Pahalgam attack victims and expressed US support for India’s fight against terrorism. He also encouraged direct dialogue between India and Pakistan.
In his conversation with Sharif, Rubio asked Pakistan to take concrete steps to stop support for terrorist groups, underlining the importance of preventing further violence. The US has made it clear that while it is concerned about the situation and willing to support peaceful dialogue, it does not plan to intervene militarily.
