Cliff Notes
- Both India and Pakistan have stated their desire to avoid all-out war, despite recent airstrikes, raising global scepticism about their intentions.
- A ceasefire has been brokered by the US, leading to celebrations in Pakistan, but the recent military actions have resulted in significant casualties on both sides.
- The coming days will be critical as representatives from both nations reconvene for discussions, amid concerns that tensions could escalate again.
India and Pakistan were close to miscalculation either side couldn’t afford | World News
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Both India and Pakistan claimed they didn’t want all-out war, or for things to escalate.
But given that those statements came within hours of airstrikes from either side, it’s easy to understand why the world was sceptical.
Fast forward just a few hours though and a ceasefire has been agreed – with the help of the US, who brokered talks and even announced the deal.
India-Pakistan live: Latest updates as ceasefire agreed
The agreement has sparked celebrations in Pakistan, with people in many cities, including Lahore, taking to the streets. Chants of “Pakistan Zindabad” – “Long Live Pakistan” in English – are ringing out.
But the deal doesn’t undo the events of the past two weeks, which will continue to weigh heavily on the minds of many here.
The military action has been the most significant between the countries in decades and dozens have died on both sides.
Just this morning, Pakistan inflicted some serious damage to India’s military sites and New Delhi did not waste time responding with further strikes.
It was a reminder, for many, of the uncertainty of the situation between India and Pakistan.
Representatives from each country will speak again on Monday and even with the strikes halted, for now, the next 48 hours will be a very testing moment.
Both sides have often shown striking strategic restraint. And in the past fortnight, neither has launched a full-scale attack.
But their enmity has been enduring, and even with the agreement in place, it feels a bit complacent to assume India and Pakistan will just walk back from the brink.
