'Hope India Responds in Way That Avoids Wider Conflict': US VP Vance

New Delhi: Vice President J.D. Vance is the latest US leader to call for a measured response from India to prevent further regional conflict in South Asia following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which left 22 civilians, mostly tourists, dead.

Speaking on Fox News on Thursday, Vance said, "Our hope here is that India responds to this terrorist attack in a way that doesn't lead to a broader regional conflict." 

He also signalled US expectations that Pakistan would cooperate in addressing the threat posed by cross-border militant groups. “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,” he added.

Vance was in India at the time of the attack, which took place in the popular tourist destination of Pahalgam.

A day later, India announced a series of retaliatory steps against Pakistan, including the suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to “identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers.”

Pakistan rejected the allegations and responded with its own set of measures, even as political leaders in Islamabad claimed New Delhi was preparing for military action.

While Vance did point to Pakistan’s possible role, his remarks were deliberately tempered, hedged with phrases like “to the extent that they're responsible” and references to militants “sometimes operating” from Pakistani territory.

Vance’s remarks come in the wake of US President Donald Trump and more recently US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, taking a rather neutral position between the two South Asian neighbours.

In its official readout, the US state department said Rubio “encouraged India to work with Pakistan to de-escalate tensions and maintain peace and security in South Asia,” which was a blunt message that India should not take military action against Pakistan.

The Indian government has not issued an official statement on the Rubio call. However, Union external affairs minister S. Jaishankar posted on X that he had spoken with the US Secretary of State, reiterating that “its [the attack’s] perpetrators, backers and planners must be brought to justice.”

Separately, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth posted about his conversation with defence minister Rajnath Singh, expressing his “deepest condolences for the loss of life in the heinous terrorist attack” and affirming, “We stand with India and its great people.”

However, Hegseth’s post stopped short of explicitly supporting India’s right to self-defence, as Singh’s own statement had claimed. If such support had indeed been expressed, it would mark a notable shift from the more cautious tone of the White House and the US state department.

In this context, Vance’s remarks are significant because they reinforce the prevailing view within the Trump administration that military escalation must be avoided.

The US state department spokesperson reiterated at the Thursday media briefing that Rubio “encouraged both countries to work toward a responsible solution” that would maintain “long-term peace and regional stability in South Asia”.

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