US Urges India’s Restraint, Pakistan’s Cooperation

US Signals Strategic Restraint Amid Kashmir Terror: VP Vance Urges India to Avoid Escalation, Calls on Pakistan to Cooperate

 

 

In the wake of a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baisaran Valley, which left 26 people dead, including a Nepali national, US Vice President JD Vance issued a carefully worded appeal aimed at both India and Pakistan—signalling Washington's desire to prevent the incident from snowballing into a broader regional conflagration.

Speaking during a podcast interview while on a personal visit to India, Vance stated: “Our hope here is that India responds to this terrorist attack in a way that doesn't lead to a broader regional conflict. And we hope, frankly, that Pakistan, to the extent that they’re responsible, cooperates with India to make sure that the terrorists sometimes operating in their territory are hunted down and dealt with.”

His remarks come at a critical moment in South Asian geopolitics. The gruesome attack, which took place in the idyllic, tourist-favoured Baisaran Valley—dubbed ‘Mini Switzerland’—has sent shockwaves across the region. Eyewitness accounts describe chaos as gunmen opened fire in an open, defenceless terrain, causing panic and carnage among unsuspecting tourists.

India’s response has been swift and uncompromising. Apart from intensified counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir, New Delhi has indefinitely suspended the Indus Waters Treaty—a diplomatic cornerstone dating back to 1960—and ordered the expulsion of all Pakistani nationals. Though Pakistan has denied any involvement, India’s stance has hardened, and the domestic mood is palpably charged.

Against this backdrop, Vance’s comments signal Washington’s attempt to walk a diplomatic tightrope—reaffirming solidarity with India while avoiding a direct accusatory posture toward Pakistan. This is consistent with Washington’s historical dilemma: balancing strategic partnerships with India, a rising Indo-Pacific power, while maintaining leverage over Pakistan due to its role in Afghan stability, nuclear non-proliferation, and counter-terror intelligence sharing.

Vance further extended his condolences via social media, stating: “Usha and I extend our condolences to the victims of the devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India. Over the past few days, we have been overcome with the beauty of this country and its people. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they mourn this horrific attack.”

Last month, Vance had also called Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly to condemn the attack and conveyed the United States' readiness to assist in counter-terror efforts. “The United States stands with the people of India and is ready to provide all assistance in the joint fight against terrorism,” he reportedly told the Indian leader.

The White House has echoed these sentiments, with President Donald Trump terming the attack “unconscionable” and “terror in its rawest form,” though without explicitly naming Pakistan. Such diplomatic nuance reflects the Biden-Trump continuum in American foreign policy—where counter-terror cooperation with India is a priority, but not at the cost of alienating Islamabad.

This incident, and the responses it has triggered, may mark a pivotal moment in Indo-US-Pakistan dynamics. For Washington, the challenge remains: how to deepen its strategic convergence with India while keeping Pakistan engaged, particularly as China looms large in the regional equation and Afghanistan’s stability remains tenuous. As tensions simmer on the Line of Control, all eyes now turn to how Islamabad responds to this latest call for cooperation—and whether New Delhi chooses restraint or retaliation.