Russia Urges Diplomacy on India, Pakistan Tensions

(MENAFN) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Indian peer Subrahmanyam Jaishankar engaged in a conversation to deliberate over the current state of relations between their nations, as well as the escalating strain between India and Pakistan following a recent deadly incident in Pahalgam, a region within Indian-controlled Kashmir.

During the phone call on Friday, Lavrov emphasized the importance of resolving New Delhi-Islamabad disagreements "by political and diplomatic means on a bilateral basis."

He reiterated Moscow’s backing for the core principles laid out in the 1972 Simla Agreement and the 1999 Lahore Declaration, as per a summary released by the Russian Foreign Ministry on Saturday.

In addition, both senior officials discussed the timeline for forthcoming high-level interactions between Moscow and New Delhi, confirming their commitment to sustained diplomatic contact.

This exchange occurred in the wake of heightened animosity between the two nuclear-capable rivals.

The attack at the Pahalgam tourist destination resulted in 26 fatalities, significantly worsening bilateral tensions.

India has attributed responsibility to Pakistan, asserting the assault had “cross-border links.”

In response, Islamabad denied involvement and proposed an impartial investigation with oversight from a neutral third party.

Both sides have adopted retaliatory diplomatic actions, including halting visa issuance for each other's nationals and withdrawing select diplomatic personnel.

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