Pakistan and India have conducted the first round of talks between their Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) via hotline, sources confirmed on Monday. This exchange marks a rare instance of direct military communication between the two countries, especially amid the heightened tensions that nearly pushed them to the brink of full-scale war.
The talks come after both countries agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire on Saturday, following days of intense military exchanges that raised concerns of a broader conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
The ceasefire announcement was initially made by US President Donald Trump and later confirmed by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. It followed a series of missile strikes, drone incursions, and retaliatory actions across the border.
Tensions had escalated after a deadly attack in Pahalgam, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), on April 22, which killed 26 civilians. India blamed Pakistan-based groups for the attack but did not provide evidence. Pakistan rejected these allegations.
In response, India took measures such as closing the Wagah border, revoking Pakistani visas, and suspending the Indus Waters Treaty—actions that Pakistan described as an “act of war.”
On May 6–7, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos, claiming to have downed five Indian jets, including Rafales, and intercepted 77 Israeli-origin Harop drones.
The US played a pivotal role in facilitating backchannel diplomacy, with Secretary Rubio and Vice President JD Vance holding talks with leaders from both countries, including PMs Shehbaz Sharif and Narendra Modi, as well as senior defense and intelligence officials.
Following Trump’s announcement, both countries suspended military activities across land, air, and sea, though reports of ceasefire breaches were reported from both sides of the Line of Control (LoC).
