A ceasefire between India and Pakistan appears to have held overnight into Sunday, after the two nations accused each other of “violations” just hours after a deal was reached.
Days of cross-border military strikes had preceded the US-brokered deal, marking the worst military confrontation between the two rivals in decades.
US President Donald Trump praised India and Pakistan’s leaders for agreeing the ceasefire in fresh comments on Sunday morning, saying millions of people could have died without it.
This comes after explosions were heard in Indian-administered Kashmir hours after the deal was announced, with both sides accusing each other of violations.
The use of drones, missiles and artillery started when India struck targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, in response to a deadly militant attack in Pahalgam last month. Pakistan denies any involvement.
US President Donald Trump announced the “full and immediate” ceasefire on his Truth Social Platform on Saturday. He said it had been brokered by the US.
Pakistan’s foreign minister later confirmed the agreement had been reached by the two countries, adding that “three dozen countries” were involved in the diplomacy.
But hours after the announcement, residents – and BBC reporters – in the main Indian-administered Kashmiri cities of Srinagar and Jammu reported hearing explosions and seeing flashes in the sky.
Indian Foreign Secretary Misri accused Pakistan of “repeated violations” of the deal, and said his country’s armed forces would give “an appropriate response”.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Pakistan remained committed to implementing the deal, “notwithstanding the violations being committed by India in some areas”, and said troops on the ground should “exercise restraint”.
Kashmir is claimed in full by both India and Pakistan, but administered only in part by each since they were partitioned following independence from the UK in 1947.
It has been a flashpoint between the two nuclear-armed nations and they have fought two wars over it.
Confirming the ceasefire, India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar said the two nations had “worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action”.
“India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so,” he added.
Later, in an address to the nation, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the ceasefire had been reached “for the benefit of everybody”.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said following the announcement that India and Pakistan had agreed to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site.
He said he and US Vice-President JD Vance had spent 48 hours with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including their respective Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif.
In a further Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump repeated praise for India and Pakistan’s leaders for understanding it was “time to stop the current aggression”.
“I am proud that the USA was able to help you arrive at this historic and heroic decision,” he added.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he welcomed “all efforts to de-escalate the conflict”.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the UK has been “engaged” in talks for “some days”, with Foreign Secretary David Lammy speaking to both sides.
“I’m pleased to see today that there’s a ceasefire,” Sir Keir said. “The task now is to make sure that that is enduring and is lasting.”
The recent fighting came after two weeks of tension following the killing of 26 tourists in the resort town of Pahalgam.
Survivors of the 22 April attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 25 Indians and one Nepali national, said the militants had singled out Hindu men.
The Indian defence ministry said its strikes this week were part of a “commitment” to hold “accountable” those responsible for the attack. Pakistan described them as “unprovoked”.
Pakistan said Indian air strikes and cross-border fire since Wednesday had killed 36 people in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, while India’s army reported at least 21 civilians deaths from Pakistani shelling.
Fighting intensified overnight on Friday, with both countries accusing each other of targeting airbases and other military sites.
