India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar reiterated that "perpetrators, backers and planners” of an attack that killed dozens of people in Indian-controlled Kashmir must be brought to justice, hours after speaking with his U.S. counterpart Marco Rubio, who had sought to de-escalate tensions.
Secretary of State Rubio had spoken with top officials from India and Pakistan on Wednesday, asking them to "maintain peace and security in South Asia.” He told Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s prime minister, of the need to condemn the attack and reestablish direct communications, according to a statement from the State Department.
Relations between the nuclear-armed nations and longtime adversaries have rapidly deteriorated in the wake of the attack last week, which India and the U.S. have called an act of terrorism. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has accused Pakistan of involvement and vowed to punish those responsible. Pakistan has denied any links to the assault and warned of retaliation if India takes military action.
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