US Secretary Rubio reaches out to India and Pakistan, urges restraint on both sides

Amid rising military tension between India and Pakistan, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday made direct appeals to both sides. He spoke separately with India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, stressing the need to step back from the brink.

In a formal statement, the US State Department said, “Secretary Marco Rubio spoke today with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The Secretary emphasised the need for immediate de-escalation. He expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications. The Secretary reiterated his condolences for the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism.”

Rubio also urged Islamabad to end “any support to terrorist groups”, according to the official readout.

Jaishankar defends Indian strikes

India responded swiftly to the US outreach. In a social media post, Jaishankar underlined the measured nature of India's actions.


“Spoke with US @SecRubio this evening. Deeply appreciate US commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism. Underlined India’s targeted and measured response to cross-border terrorism. Will firmly counter any attempts at escalation,” he wrote on X.

This exchange followed a sudden spike in military engagement along the border.

Airstrikes and missile interceptions

Earlier today, Pakistani aircraft launched airstrikes in the border areas of Jammu, targeting regions near the Jammu airport. The attack prompted an immediate response from India’s Air Defence systems.

According to ANI, which cited defence officials, Indian forces intercepted eight incoming missiles across multiple sectors—Satwari, Samba, RS Pura, and Arnia. No casualties have been officially confirmed so far.

The Pakistani airstrikes appear to be in direct retaliation to Operation Sindoor, a military operation conducted by the Indian Armed Forces. In this strike, India reportedly targeted nine terror camps located within Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Indian government has not released further details on the scale or impact of the operation.

The name of the operation, ‘Sindoor’, has not been publicly explained by officials, but sources indicate that it was planned in response to the recent deadly terror attack in Pahalgam.

Blackouts imposed across multiple states

As the security situation remains tense, Indian authorities have enforced complete blackouts across various sensitive regions. In Jammu, the towns of Akhnoor, Kishtwar, and Samba have gone dark.

Similarly, blackouts have been reported in Punjab’s Amritsar, Jalandhar, and Gurdaspur districts. In Rajasthan, Bikaner and Jaisalmer have also been affected. These measures are part of heightened military preparedness and civil defence protocols.

Pakistan's state-run Radio Pakistan, as cited by PTI, reported that Secretary Rubio also told Prime Minister Sharif that “both Pakistan and India need to work closely to de-escalate the situation.”

While calls for calm continue from Washington, both governments appear focused on military posturing for now.

As air-raid sirens fall silent in the border towns, diplomacy may be the last shield left.