Vance urges India, Pakistan to avoid 'broader conflict'

FOR THE SECOND day in succession, the US conveyed its understanding of India's response to the Pahalgam terror attack with Vice President J D Vance saying his country hopes it will not lead to a "broader regional conflict" and that the US expects Islamabad to "cooperate" with New Delhi to "hunt down" terrorists "sometimes operating from their soil".

- SHUBHAJIT ROY New Delhi, May 2

Vance is the latest senior representative of the US administration, after Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, to spell out the US line on the terror attack that killed 26 people. Vance and his family were in India on a four-day visit when the attack—the worst since Pulwama in 2019—took place in J&K on April 22.

Asked on the Fox News show, 'Special Report with Bret Baier', if he was "worried about India and Pakistan", Vance said, "Well, sure, I'm worried about any time you see a hotspot breaking out, especially between two nuclear powers."

Pointing out that the US has "obviously been in close contact with our friends in India and Pakistan", the Vice President said, "Our hope here is that India responds to this terrorist attack in a way that does not lead to a broader regional conflict."