India and Pakistan were on the brink of open war last week with intensified cross-border shelling, missile exchanges, and drone strikes. That, however, took a unexpected turn when it was announced on his Truth Social account by the erstwhile President of the US, Donald Trump, that both nations had negotiated an immediate ceasefire.
“India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire,” Trump tweeted, saying the agreement occurred “after a long night of negotiations facilitated by the United States.”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2025
Here’s how backchannel diplomacy defused an imminent war
Vance’s Diplomatic Efforts
US Vice President JD Vance made a key phone call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 9, CNN reported. The overture was a dramatic departure from Vance’s previous stance.
We’re not going to get entangled in the middle of war that’s fundamentally none of our business,” Vance had said to Fox News.
“You know, America can’t ask the Indians to put down their arms. We can’t ask the Pakistanis to put down their arms.”
In spite of this earlier position, deteriorating hostilities and new intelligence forced US leaders to move fast.
Operation Sindoor Escalates the Conflict
On May 7, India initiated Operation Sindoor in retaliation for a fatal terror attack in Pahalgam. The operation involved drone attacks on terror camps within Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Pakistan responded with missile attacks and drones, all of which were intercepted by India. In a major counter, India crippled an air defence system close to Lahore.
While these escalations unfolded, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio started following the situation closely with Vance.
Urgent Mediation Prompted by Intelligence
The US received “alarming intelligence” on Friday (May 9), CNN reports, which triggered urgent deliberations at the very top. Vance, Wiles, and Rubio quickly synchronized diplomatic engagement.
Rubio had already spoken to Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, providing “US support for direct dialogue” and urging “continued efforts to enhance communications.”
Rubio also spoke to Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir and promised help to initiate talks to avert further escalation.
Behind-the-Scenes Talks Bridge the Gap
A US official explained the strategy:
“The aim earlier this week was to get India and Pakistan to sit down and talk… US officials were able to see what those potential off-ramps might look like on both sides… and help close some of that communications gap.”
This facilitation paved the way for an open line of communication between the two armies.
India’s Strikes on PAF Bases
On May 10, India attacked some of the main Pakistani Air Force (PAF) bases, such as Chaklala near Rawalpindi and Sargodha in Punjab, with BrahMos cruise missiles. The attacks increased anxiety in Islamabad that India could target its nuclear command facilities.
Pakistan approached the US in an emergency, asking for prompt intervention. The US then asked Islamabad to utilize its military hotline to talk to India.
DGMOs Connect to De-escalate
Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Maj Gen Kashif Abdullah reached India’s DGMO Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai at 9 a.m. on May 10 to inquire about a potential ceasefire.
Abdullah brought up Rubio’s call to Munir in discussing the issue. As the message was relayed up the hierarchy, India did not immediately formally acknowledge the contact.
Even Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, in an 11 a.m. press briefing, left out reference to the call.
Ceasefire Announced, But India Stresses Bilateral Terms
Though Trump and Rubio’s announcement hailed the US role in the ceasefire, Indian officials continued to assert that the deal was strictly bilateral.
Misri later asserted the DGMOs had spoken directly to each other and that the ceasefire resulted from those military-level talks. While that is happening, India cautioned that any future terror strike would be deemed an “act of war” and would provoke swift retaliation.
Though the US brokered communication, India remained adamant that it was acting in its own strategic interests. The ceasefire was a timely intervention when both sides were at the threshold of war. It’s difficult to say for how long the peace will prevail, but at least for now, diplomacy has gained time for negotiations.