US Vice President JD Vance called Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, urging him to engage in direct talks with Pakistan to prevent further escalation of hostilities, according to a CNN report citing top Trump administration officials. The outreach followed what Washington described as "alarming intelligence," suggesting that tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours were at risk of spiralling into a major conflict if not defused promptly.
The call, made around noon Eastern Time, came just hours before India and Pakistan announced a ceasefire agreement on Saturday evening. US officials told CNN that Vance, after reviewing the sensitive intelligence inputs, first briefed former President Donald Trump and then personally reached out to Modi, stressing the urgent need for de-escalation. He is also said to have presented a possible diplomatic "off-ramp" that the US believed Pakistan would be open to, though specific details of the proposal were not made public.
Vance's Call Likely Pushed India Towards Ceasefire Talks
The intelligence, described by officials as “critical,” raised concerns in Washington that continued hostilities over the weekend could trigger a sharp escalation with devastating consequences. The call reportedly played a key role in nudging India toward talks and a ceasefire.
Behind the scenes, a small core team in Washington, comprising Vance, Secretary of State and interim NSA Marco Rubio and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, had been closely tracking the situation as it intensified over the past week. Their involvement ramped up after the alarming intelligence assessment was shared among senior ranks.
The ceasefire between India and Pakistan came after several tense days marked by drone incursions, cross-border firing, and heightened troop readiness along the Line of Control and the International Border. With no new incidents of hostility reported overnight, the ceasefire has held so far, bringing a temporary sense of relief to residents in the affected regions.
However, Vance’s intervention and the role of the United States in brokering the ceasefire has sparked fresh questions in India’s political circles.
As of Sunday, New Delhi has not issued an official statement on Vance’s outreach or the details surrounding the US role in the ceasefire decision. But the behind-the-scenes diplomacy has underlined Washington’s concern about South Asia’s volatile security dynamics and its readiness to step in when tensions threaten to spiral.
