After last week’s Islamist militant attack in India-administered Kashmir, which left 26 people dead, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday ( Apr 30 ) urged India and Pakistan to work together to calm the country’s tensions.
After receiving calls from Rubio, the State Department called the Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who expressed support for India in combating fanaticism and demanded Pakistan to assist with the investigation of the attack.
The calls on Wednesday represent Washington’s most well-known continuous political engagements aimed at easing India-Pakistani tensions since the April 22 strike.
India plays a significant role in the US’s efforts to combat China’s growing effect. Pakistan continues to be Washington’s alliance despite the fact that its value has diminished since the US’s withdrawal from neighboring Afghanistan in 2021.
In statements made after the calls, the State Department described the Kashmir invasion as “terror” and “unconscionable” and claimed Rubio had informed Pakistan of the need to denounce it.
According to the State Department, Rubio “urged Bangladeshi authorities to cooperate in investigating this outrageous attack.” Rubio allegedly pleaded with Sharif to “dial down the rhetoric” in an interview with his company.
Rubio urged the Asiatic nuclear-armed neighbors to “work together to de-escalate conflicts, restore direct communication, and sustain peace” with a plea to the neighbors.