U.S. Vice President JD Vance has called on Pakistan to assist India in addressing militants allegedly operating from its territory, following a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir. The attack, which occurred on April 22, 2025, resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals, primarily Hindu tourists. Vance emphasized the importance of India responding to the incident without escalating tensions into a broader regional conflict. He stated, “Our hope here is that India responds to this terrorist attack in a way that doesn’t lead to a broader regional conflict,” and added, “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.”
This marks the most direct statement from the U.S. government linking Pakistan to extremism in India since the attack. While previous U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, condemned the attack and expressed support for India, they refrained from directly implicating Pakistan. The U.S. has been actively engaging with both nations to de-escalate tensions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently spoke with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urging both countries to pursue a “responsible solution.”
In response to the attack, India has taken several punitive measures, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, expelling Pakistani diplomats, and closing borders. Pakistan has denied involvement and has called for a neutral investigation. Both nations have engaged in border skirmishes, and the situation remains volatile.
The U.S. continues to monitor the situation closely, advocating for restraint and dialogue between the two nuclear-armed neighbors to prevent further escalation.
J. D. Vance US VP on Flickr by Gage Skidmore
