India’s response to Pahalgam attack must not lead to broader regional conflict: US vice president

United States Vice President JD Vance on Thursday said that Washington hoped that India’s response to the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam did not lead to a broader regional conflict.

He also called on Pakistan to cooperate with India on combating terrorism.

In an interview with Fox News, Vance said: “We hope, frankly, that Pakistan, to the extent that they’re responsible, cooperates with India to make sure that the terrorists sometimes operating in their territory are hunted down and dealt with.”

However, the US vice president added: “I am worried about any time you see a hotspot breaking out, especially between two nuclear powers”. He said that the United States was in close contact with both India and Pakistan.

His remarks came in the aftermath of the terror attack at Baisaran near the town of Pahalgam on April 22 that left 26 persons dead and 17 injured. The terrorists targeted tourists after asking their names to ascertain their religion, the police said. All but three of those killed were Hindu.

Earlier on Thursday, the Centre said that US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth told Defence Minister Rajnath Singh that Washington supported India’s right to defend itself.

Hegseth held a telephonic conversation with Singh and expressed his sympathies for the loss of life in the “dastardly...

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