US Vice President JD Vance has expressed hope that Pakistan will cooperate with India to hunt down Pakistan-based militants.
The recent Islamist militant attack in India-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 people, has heightened tensions between the two nations.
Vance emphasized the need for India to respond to the attack without escalating the situation into a broader regional conflict.
The US government has come close to potentially linking Pakistan to extremism in India, with Vance’s comments being the most direct implication so far.
Top US leaders, including President Donald Trump, have condemned the attack as “terror” and “unconscionable” while expressing support for India without directly blaming Pakistan.
India is a crucial US partner in countering China’s rising influence, while Pakistan remains a key ally despite diminished importance after the 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The US has urged both nations to work together to de-escalate tensions and find a responsible solution.
India has blamed Pakistan for the attack, but Islamabad denies responsibility and calls for a neutral probe.
The US State Department is actively engaged with both nations, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio holding calls with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to punish those responsible, while Pakistan warns of imminent military action by India.
The disputed region of Kashmir is claimed by both India and Pakistan, with each controlling part of it and having fought wars over it.