Any mediator would need to put in a lot of work to ensure a) both sides restore status quo on Indus Water Treaty b) Develop a crisis response mechanism to prevent military escalations in future.

The next few hours would be crucial to ascertain whether both sides climb the escalation ladder or back off especially on military response. Amid US disinterest to mediate between the two sides, it would be interesting to see which third party mediator steps in.

On top of it, social media sites are breeding grounds for disinformation and propaganda but I think cyber offences seem to be complementing the traditional military responses rather than become primary means to target either side.

Some Indian news outlets have accused Pakistan-based hackers of targeting defence sites. While both sides claim to have accessed sensitive data, it is unclear if both adversaries have substantial data to weaponise it against each other or not.

Alongside the on-ground military response, cyber attacks seem to be in full swing with one Pakistani journalist warning users against opening any suspicious links to avoid any data breach.

Pakistan has officially confirmed the Indian attack on at least six sites resulting in eight casualties and 31 injuries, mostly civilians. In retaliation, Pakistan claims to have downed at least three Indian jets, destroyed one brigade headquarters at an unknown location.

The strikes have come against the backdrop of terror attack in Pahalgam on the Indian side in April in which 26 tourists were killed. India has blamed Pakistan based terror groups and underscored how its military response was due to limited action by Pakistan against the terror groups.

Interesting choice of words. Is the US VP implying that the US wont have any issues as long as India carried out limited incursion?

Both sides had been in this space before in 2019. War hysteria didn't help then, it won't help this time either.

Pakistan has already signalled its willingness to be part of any independent probe into the recent terror attack. Otherwise, neither blocking airspace/water nor any military escalation would help address the core issue of cross-border terrorism.

Amid accusations from both sides of backing terror groups against each other, it is high time for both to devise a mechanism that could facilitate independent investigations into the terror incident.

Irrespective of the extent to which the proposed changes come into effect within the State department, I think the US retreat will be visible on international forums, in particular on human rights.

www.cnbc.com/2025/04/20/t...

While the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has dismissed these reports as "fake news", it comes against backdrop of earlier report by Associated Press on how the White House’s Office of Management and Budget had proposed slashing the State Department’s budget by almost 50%.

As per the draft order that could be signed by President Trump as early as this week, these changes are at aimed at cutting "waste, fraud, abuse and align the Department with an American First Strategic Doctrine reflecting the priorities of the Executive Branch".