The United States has been actively communicating with both India and Pakistan, encouraging them to work towards what it termed a "responsible resolution," as hostilities between the two nations intensify following a recent militant attack in Kashmir.
Publicly, Washington has voiced its support for New Delhi in the wake of the assault, while stopping short of directly criticizing Islamabad. India has squarely blamed Pakistan for the April 22 attack in the Indian-administered Kashmir region, where over two dozen lives were lost. Pakistan, however, has denied involvement and called for an impartial investigation.
"We are closely monitoring this evolving situation and maintaining contact with Indian and Pakistani officials at multiple levels," a U.S. State Department spokesperson told Reuters via email.
"The United States encourages all sides to seek a responsible and peaceful solution," the spokesperson added.
Washington reiterated its solidarity with India, strongly condemning the terror attack in Pahalgam—a stance echoed by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in previous remarks.
India's strategic significance to the U.S. has grown markedly as Washington looks to counter China’s expanding influence in Asia, while Pakistan's role, though still allied, has lessened following America's 2021 military exit from Afghanistan.
Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert based in Washington and a contributor to Foreign Policy magazine, noted the shifting dynamics:
"India now enjoys a closer partnership with the U.S. compared to Pakistan," he said.
Kugelman warned that Islamabad might be concerned about a scenario where India launches military retaliation and Washington tacitly supports it under the guise of counterterrorism.
He also suggested that with the Trump administration heavily involved in global crises like the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, the U.S. might initially refrain from mediating between India and Pakistan.
Former Pakistani Ambassador to the U.S., Hussain Haqqani, now a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, shared a similar sentiment:
"India and Pakistan periodically spiral into confrontation over longstanding grievances. This time, there appears to be no U.S. inclination to intervene and de-escalate tensions," Haqqani said.
Tensions on the Rise
The disputed region of Kashmir—claimed in entirety by both Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan—has been a longstanding flashpoint, with both nations having fought multiple wars over its control.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged relentless pursuit of those behind the attack, vowing they will face unimaginable consequences. Calls for military action against Pakistan have grown louder within India’s political circles and media.
In response to the attack, both nations have engaged in retaliatory measures: Pakistan has shut its airspace to Indian aircraft, and India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a vital agreement regulating river sharing.
Moreover, after years of relative calm, cross-border shelling has resumed along their unofficial frontier.
Responsibility for the Kashmir attack was claimed by a lesser-known group called Kashmir Resistance, believed by Indian intelligence to be a proxy for Pakistan-based militant outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen.
Ned Price, a former U.S. State Department spokesperson under President Biden, warned that the Trump administration’s strong backing of India could risk exacerbating the situation:
"Deepening ties with India is understandable," Price said, "but if New Delhi perceives unwavering U.S. support, it could embolden more aggressive action, risking greater escalation between these nuclear-armed rivals."