Top military officials of India, Pakistan hold talks

Global Times

Structural disputes still exist despite intl-brokered peace: expert

By Zhang Han and Shen Sheng Published: May 12, 2025 11:09 PM

Top military officials from India and Pakistan held talks on Monday to discuss finer details of the ceasefire and next steps for the nuclear-armed neighbors on Monday, according to media reports.

The Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan on Monday held a scheduled conversation over the hotline for the first time, according to India Today.

Sources told India’s business news channel, CNBC-TV18 that the DGMOs of both the countries held a further discussion on the understanding reached to stop firing and military action. The outcome of the talks is not yet known, India Today reported.

Qian Feng, director of the Research Department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, believes that repairing mechanisms of mutual trust should be a key priority for the two sides at this moment.

Since neither side wants further escalation, Qian said the two countries could consider the rollback of some retaliatory measures and the gradual restoration of basic trade and economic exchanges in order to consolidate the positive momentum of the ceasefire.

Latest news from First Post showed that the Jammu and Kashmir administration has decided to open schools and colleges in all non-border areas in Jammu as well as Kashmir from May 13 (Tuesday) onwards.

According to the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir experienced a peaceful night, with no hostilities reported. This marks the first calm night after recent tensions, Economic Times reported Monday.

Commenting on the India-Pakistan consensus on a ceasefire which was brokered by China and several other countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Monday the ceasefire between India and Pakistan is in the fundamental and long-term interest of both countries, and is conducive to regional peace and stability. This is also what the international community hopes to see. China supports and welcomes this latest development.

China hopes that India and Pakistan will cement and continue the ceasefire momentum, avoid further conflict, properly handle differences through dialogue and negotiation, and return to the track of political settlement, Lin said, adding that China is ready to stay in communication with India and Pakistan and play a constructive role in realizing a full and lasting ceasefire between the two countries and keeping the region peaceful and stable.

Indian airspace has now fully reopened for commercial flights, and a notice ordering the closure of 32 airports was withdrawn, signaling a complete return to normal aviation operations across all previously restricted zones, India Today reported Monday.

Pakistan’s sovereign bonds rallied more than 4 cents and its stock exchange halted trading on Monday for an hour, after the benchmark KSE-100 share (.KSE) jumped 8.84 percent in early trade. India’s benchmarks jumped over 3 percent and were on track to log their best session in almost a year, Reuters reported Monday.

This round of fierce fighting between the two countries started on May 7 after New Delhi carried out airstrikes inside Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, evoking a strong response from Islamabad. The Indian strikes were undertaken to avenge the killing of 26 people by gunmen in Indian-controlled Kashmir, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Qian told the Global Times on Monday that the current ceasefire is a positive signal amid the latest escalation of the situation, but maintaining lasting peace remains a challenge, as the regional situation is still delicate.

At a Monday press conference, Indian Air Marshal AK Bharti said all of India’s air defense systems are operational and ready for “future missions if need be… All our military bases and equipment are on alert,” he said, adding that India can strike at will if the situation arises, per India Today.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has made his X account private after being vehemently criticized on social media by right-wing users for the ceasefire, according to local media outlet The Wire.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Monday said India has been defeated on all five fronts – not just the army, navy, and air force – but diplomatically and in the media as well.

Those are all signs that despite the ceasefire, there are complicated factors that could have an impact on bilateral engagement and future talks, according to Xie Chao, an associate professor from the Institute of International Studies, Fudan University.

Qian also noted that there are structural contradictions between India and Pakistan, therefore international mediation is more of an immediate fix than a long-term solution.

Looking ahead, India and Pakistan face deep-rooted and complex disputes that make genuine reconciliation difficult.

“Border demarcation, religious and ethnic issues, terrorism-related accusations, and water disputes…problems left over from history keep hindering bilateral relations,” Qian said.