US VP Vance Hopes India’s Pahalgam Response Avoids Regional Conflict

ISLAMABAD: US Vice President JD Vance stated Thursday that Washington hopes India’s response to the recent deadly attack in occupied Kashmir avoids triggering a broader regional conflict. The April 22 assault in Pahalgam claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists, marking one of the region’s deadliest incidents since 2000. India has implied cross-border links without substantiation, an allegation Pakistan’s leadership has rejected while calling for a neutral investigation.

Our hope here is that India responds to this terrorist attack in a way that doesn’t lead to a broader regional conflict,” Vance said in an interview on Fox News’ ‘Special Report with Bret Baier’ show.

“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,” Vance added.

Top US leaders, including President Donald Trump, have condemned the attack, calling it “terror” and “unconscionable,” while expressing support for India without directly blaming Pakistan.

India is an important US partner as Washington aims to counter China’s rising influence. Pakistan remains Washington’s ally even as its importance diminished after the 2021 US withdrawal from neighbouring Afghanistan.

In recent days, Washington urged India and Pakistan to work with each other to de-escalate tensions and arrive at a “responsible solution.” India has blamed Pakistan for the attack. Islamabad denies responsibility and is calling for a neutral probe.

The US State Department has said it was in touch with the nuclear-armed neighbours at multiple levels and Secretary of State Marco Rubio held calls on Wednesday with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Hindu nationalist Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to punish those responsible and Jaishankar has told Rubio that the perpetrators should be brought to justice. Pakistan says military action by India was imminent.

After the attack, India suspended the Indus Water Treaty, and both countries closed airspace to each other’s airlines. They also exchanged fire across their border.