US Vice President JD Vance has urged India to avoid any actions that might escalate regional conflict, following the deadly April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Indian-occupied Kashmir, which left 26 people—mostly tourists—dead.
In an interview with Fox News, Vance emphasized that while the attack was deeply tragic, Washington hopes New Delhi will respond with caution to avoid further inflaming tensions with Pakistan. He stated, “We hope India reacts in a way that doesn’t fuel a wider conflict in the region,” while also calling on Pakistan to cooperate in tracking down the attackers, especially if they are found to have links within Pakistani territory.
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Vance, who happened to be in India with his family during the attack, reaffirmed the U.S. government’s condemnation of the violence and expressed solidarity with the victims and their loved ones.
The Pahalgam incident, one of the most lethal in the area since 2000, has ignited renewed diplomatic and military strain between India and Pakistan. India has suggested a cross-border element in the attack, a claim Pakistan has vehemently denied, insisting on a neutral investigation and warning against provocative rhetoric.
India’s response has included suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and shutting its airspace to Pakistani flights—a move Pakistan reciprocated. Skirmishes have also been reported along the Line of Control (LoC), increasing fears of broader confrontation.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to punish those behind the attack, while External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar stressed the need for accountability during discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Rubio has since spoken with both Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Jaishankar, urging de-escalation and the preservation of peace in the region. The U.S. State Department confirmed that diplomatic engagement with both countries is ongoing at multiple levels.
Although the U.S. remains a close ally of India, particularly within the context of its Indo-Pacific strategy to counter China, it has carefully avoided taking sides in the current crisis. While President Donald Trump and other officials have condemned the attack in strong terms, they have not directly blamed Pakistan.
In a prior social media post, Vance labeled the Pahalgam killings “inhumane” and emphasized the victims would be remembered. His latest remarks reflect a more measured tone, reinforcing America’s commitment to preventing a full-blown conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
This latest attack—believed to have been carried out in a remote, mountainous tourist area—is the deadliest on civilians in Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama bombing, which similarly threatened regional stability.
