India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said yesterday evening (10), while addressing a press briefing on Operation Sindoor by the Ministry of External Affairs.
“The Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of Pakistan called the DGMO of India at 1535 hours earlier this afternoon and it was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, in the air, and sea, with effect from 1700 hours IST today. Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The DGMOs will talk again on 12 May at 1200 hours,” Misri said.
Meanwhile, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar said: “India and Pakistan have today (10) worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so.”
However, in a statement made yesterday morning, Misri denied Pakistani claims that Indian missiles had struck Afghanistan, calling the allegations “totally frivolous” and a continuation of misinformation spread by Pakistani State agencies.
In a special media briefing in New Delhi, Misri vehemently rejected the claims and stated that such accusations were part of a larger pattern of lies, misinformation, and propaganda.
“Afghan people don’t need to be reminded about which country has, on multiple occasions in the last year and a half, targeted civilian populations and infrastructure in Afghanistan,” Misri remarked.
He pointed out that Pakistan’s claims regarding the destruction of several Indian military installations, including Air Force stations in Sirsa and Surat, as well as the S-400 base at Adampur, were entirely false.
Misri urged media outlets and the public to refrain from believing these false narratives.
He stated that the Pakistani claims about attacks on critical Indian infrastructure, including power systems and cyber networks, were fabricated. “This tissue of lies is being peddled by the Pakistani State for obvious purposes,” he added.
In the same briefing, Misri also accused Pakistan of targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure in Indian states, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
He highlighted a recent incident where Pakistan shelled the town of Rajouri, resulting in the death of Additional District Development Commissioner Raj Kumar Thapa.
Misri condemned these actions, which he described as part of Pakistan’s “execrable and wanton campaign”.
He also addressed Pakistan’s attempts to sow discord among Indian communities. He pointed out that Pakistani officials had made baseless claims about India firing missiles towards the Amritsar Temple and emphasised that such efforts to divide India were destined to fail.
Furthermore, the Foreign Secretary criticised the Pakistani Army Spokesman for taking pleasure in seeing Indian citizens criticise their own Government. “This is the hallmark of an open and functioning democracy,” Misri asserted, contrasting it with Pakistan’s authoritarian regime, which he claimed lacked the same freedoms.
US President Donald Trump announced yesterday (10) that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate ceasefire” after a period of escalating strikes and counter-strikes between the two countries’ military installations.
“After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire,” Trump stated in a post on social media.
However, social media posts last night noted blasts being reported from Srinagar.