'War is not India's choice': NSA Doval speaks to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi amid India-Pak tensions

New Delhi, May 11 (IANS) In a high-level diplomatic exchange, Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Saturday held a telephonic conversation with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and reaffirmed that "war was not India's choice" and emphasised India's commitment to ceasefire and restoring peace with Pakistan.

The talks between India and China were held following the deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that claimed the lives of several Indian personnel.

During the call, Doval reportedly conveyed that the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam resulted in serious casualties and necessitated counter-terrorism actions by India.

The conversation, disclosed by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, focused on regional stability and the imperative of maintaining peace amid escalating India-Pakistan tensions.

According to Beijing's readout, NSA Doval described the Pahalgam attack as a grave incident necessitating counter-terrorism responses, but reaffirmed that "war was not India's choice" and emphasised India's commitment to ceasefire and restoration of peace with Pakistan.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi condemned the attack and reiterated China's firm opposition to terrorism in all forms.

"The Pahalgam terrorist attack caused serious casualties among Indian personnel and that India needed to take counter-terrorism actions. War was not India's choice and was not in the interests of any party. India and Pakistan would be committed to a ceasefire and look forward to restoring regional peace and stability as soon as possible," Chinese Foreign Ministry quoted NSA Doval.

"Peace and stability in the Asian region is hard-won and deserves to be cherished," Wang said, adding that both India and Pakistan, as immediate neighbours of China and each other, should resolve disputes through dialogue and avoid further escalation.

"China appreciates your statement that war is not India's choice," Wang told NSA Doval, expressing hope that both India and Pakistan would remain calm, exercise restraint, and reach a “comprehensive and lasting ceasefire” through mutual consultations -- an outcome China believes aligns with the fundamental interests of both countries and the expectations of the global community.

However, events on the ground soon painted a grim contrast to the diplomatic tone.

Just hours after India and Pakistan announced a mutual understanding to halt military actions, the truce appeared to collapse under renewed hostilities.

In a late evening press briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri accused Pakistan of violating the ceasefire terms agreed upon by the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs).

"For the last few hours, this understanding has been violated by Pakistan. The Indian Army is retaliating and dealing with this border intrusion," he said.

Calling the Pakistani actions as "extremely condemnable," Foreign Secretary Misri urged Pakistan to act swiftly to halt these violations.

He confirmed that Indian armed forces remain on high alert and have received orders to deal firmly with any further breaches along both the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC).

India had launched a major counterterrorism operation, 'Operation Sindoor', on May 7 targeting 9 terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, with precision strikes.

In response, Pakistan has repeatedly used drones against Indian border states, which have so far been intercepted and neutralised by Indian air defence systems.

With tensions simmering despite diplomatic efforts, the international community is likely to closely monitor the next steps from both New Delhi and Islamabad.

--IANS

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