India and Pakistan Hold Military Talks as Fragile Truce Persists

India and Pakistan are set to hold high-level military talks following a temporary ceasefire that has brought a pause to days of intense conflict. The truce, announced late Saturday by US President Donald Trump, comes after four days of hostilities involving missiles, drones, and artillery fire that left at least 60 dead and forced thousands to flee on both sides of the border.

The two nations’ military operations heads are scheduled to speak at noon (0630 GMT), as confirmed by Indian army sources, who reported a rare quiet night in Kashmir and along the western frontier with Pakistan.

According to Abdul Basit of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, the conversation will focus on implementing the ceasefire rather than broader policy matters. He warned that missteps could rapidly escalate into a nuclear crisis.

The recent confrontation marks the most severe outbreak of violence between the two rivals since their last major conflict in 1999. The ceasefire announcement was met with skepticism, as both countries accused each other of violating the agreement soon after it was declared on social media by Trump.

Despite the tension, Indian forces noted calm overnight in Kashmir and other border regions, describing it as the first peaceful night in days. In Poonch, a border town in Indian-administered Kashmir that suffered heavy casualties, there was also no gunfire reported for the second consecutive night.

Military leaders from both nations addressed the media on Sunday, asserting their preparedness and claiming strategic success. Pakistan’s military declared its operations a "battlefield success," stating that they had neutralized major threats and restored deterrence. Meanwhile, India's Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai emphasized their measured approach but warned that any violation of sovereignty would be met with firm retaliation.

In Poonch, one of the hardest-hit regions, at least 12 civilians died and tens of thousands fled. On Sunday, some families began to return, though fear lingered. Abdul Razzak, who fled with his family on motorbikes, described the ordeal as a nightmare and expressed hope that peace would hold.

On the Pakistani side, schools remained shut as authorities continued to clear debris left by the attacks. The hostilities began when India targeted what it described as terrorist camps in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, following a deadly assault on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22 that killed 26 people. India blamed Pakistan for supporting the attackers, a claim Islamabad denied before launching retaliatory strikes and alleging the downing of five Indian jets  a statement that New Delhi has not confirmed.

Tensions in Kashmir have escalated since 2019, when the Indian government revoked the region's partial autonomy and imposed direct rule from New Delhi. The territory, claimed in full by both nuclear-armed nations, has been a flashpoint since their independence from British rule in 1947.