US Secretary of State Rubio calls India, Pakistan to de-escalate tensions
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Washington: On Saturday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reached out to India and Pakistan’s top diplomats amid escalating tensions between the two countries. Rubio spoke to Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, urging both nations to de-escalate the situation at the India-Pakistan border. He offered US assistance to facilitate productive discussions and prevent further escalation.
A spokesperson for the US State Department, Tammy Bruce, stated that Rubio emphasized the importance of both sides finding methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication channels to avoid potential miscalculations. "He further proposed US support in helping to foster constructive talks to prevent future disputes," Bruce added.
In response, EAM Jaishankar shared on social media that he had a conversation with Rubio, reaffirming India's approach as "measured and responsible."
Rubio also spoke to Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday, conveying the same message of de-escalation. The US Secretary of State reiterated the need for both India and Pakistan to find ways to reduce tensions and re-establish direct communication to prevent further conflict. He also reiterated the US offer to assist in facilitating meaningful discussions.
In an effort to address the rising tensions, Rubio also reached out to Pakistan's Army Chief, Asim Munir, after diplomatic talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif failed to yield progress on de-escalation.
The call came as both India and Pakistan intensified their confrontations, with attacks reaching beyond the Kashmir region and into both countries' territories. "The US President wants to see the confrontation de-escalate as quickly as possible," said Donald Trump's spokesperson, Karoline Levitt, on Friday (US time).
Rubio, who took over as the national security advisor after Mike Waltz stepped down, also spoke with Prime Minister Sharif on Thursday (US time) to emphasize the urgent need for de-escalation. During the same day, Rubio reached out to EAM Jaishankar to reinforce the US commitment to supporting India in the fight against terrorism.
The diplomatic exchanges followed India's launch of 'Operation Sindoor,' a retaliation for an attack by a front organisation of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people in a targeted massacre in Pahalgam last month. Following this, India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval made an international call to Rubio to discuss the ongoing situation.
With IANS inputs
