India's Modi holds high-level talks amid Pakistan ceasefire

India's military operations chief said India's strikes into Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and Pakistan on Wednesday killed more than 100 militants, including prominent leaders.

Lt. Gen. Rajiv Ghai said India's armed forces struck militant infrastructure and training facilities, including those belonging to the Lashkar-e-Taiba group, which the UN designated a terrorist organization in 2005.

India blames Lashkar-e-Taiba for carrying out major attacks in India and the disputed region of Kashmir.

"We achieved total surprise," Ghai said, adding that Pakistan's response was "erratic and rattled."

The military chief said India had contacted the Pakistani military operations chief on Sunday to complain about violations of the ceasefire agreed a day earlier.

India said it had informed Pakistan of its intent to respond to any repeated violations.

Ghai said New Delhi had calculated that Pakistan's military had lost 35-40 soldiers during the latest flare-up over Kashmir.

The Director General of Air Operations of India's Air Force said Pakistan had lost "a few" warplanes but declined to comment on India's own losses. “We are in a combat scenario, losses are a part of combat,” he said, adding that “all our pilots are back home.”

There was no way to independently verify any of these claims.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the country to observe "Youm-e-Tashakkur" (Day of Gratitude) for the armed forces' bravery in Kashmir, local media reported.

Sharif said "Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos," the name for the Pakistan military's strikes on Indian cities, had been a success.

He said the the sacrifices of the Pakistan Armed Forces will never be forgotten, as the nation stands shoulder to shoulder with them.

Sharif also said that Pakistan had responded to India with maximum restraint and complete preparedness.

A ceasefire in Kashmir appeared to be holding after four days of fighting, with missile, drone and artillery attacks on both sides of the border that killed at least 60 people and sent thousands fleeing.

The violence has been described as the worst since India and Pakistan's last open conflict in 1999.

Kashmir residents are wearily returning to daily life as cross-border fighting between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan has subsided for now.

US President Trump has offered to help broker a lasting peace.

After four days of intense hostilities and concerns that the two countries would engage in an all-out war, the US played a decisive active role in mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan over the disputed Kashmir region.

But foreign policy experts and diplomats from both countries believe that though the de-escalation might mark the end of the two countries' worst military confrontation in 25 years, the foreign-brokered ceasefire will not lead easily to an enduring peace. Read more DW coverage here.

Pope Leo XIV welcomed news of the ceasefire between India and Pakistan in his first Sunday message to crowds flocking to St. Peters Square since becoming leader of the Catholic Church.

"I was happy to hear … that there was a ceasefire between India and Pakistan and I hope that through the coming negotiations we might soon come to a lasting accord," Leo said to applause from those who had gathered to hear him speak.

Leo also made an appeal to the world's major powers for "no more war."

A US-brokered truce between India and Pakistan is holding despite some reported violations. 

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said it welcomed US President Donald Trump's statement regarding Pakistan-India relations.

"We acknowledge with appreciation the constructive role played by the United States, alongside other friendly states, in supporting the recent ceasefire understanding between Pakistan and India; a step towards de-escalation and regional stability," the ministry said in a post on social media platform X.

"We also appreciate President Trump's expressed willingness to support efforts aimed at the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute — a longstanding issue that has serious implications for peace and security in South Asia and beyond," the ministry added.

The Foreign Ministry said it remained committed to engaging with the US and the international community and said it looked forward to partnership with the US on matters of trade and investment.

Indian media reported that Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired talks with top government officials a day after a ceasefire came into effect with Pakistan.

Talks were reported to have involved Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, including senior members of the military.

On Saturday, both sides traded allegations of ceasefire violations, although the hostilities have not reached the level witnessed in the period building up to US President Donald Trump's surprise announcement of a truce.

US President Donald Trump praised the leadership of India and Pakistan as a ceasefire called on Saturday appeared to be holding.

"I am very proud of the strong and unwaveringly powerful leadership of India and Pakistan for having the strength, wisdom, and fortitude to fully know and understand that it was time to stop the current aggression that could have lead to to the death and destruction of so many, and so much," Trump posted on his Truth Social network.

Trump said he would increase trade with both countries , "substantially" and added that "a solution can be arrived at concerning Kashmir."

Trump on Saturday announced that the two South Asian nuclear powers had reached an immediate ceasefire agreement that followed days of increasing hostilities.

India's government has ordered the blocking of 8,000 accounts on X and the removal of Pakistan-linked content across digital platforms.

Some Indian news portals like Maktoob Media, The Kashmiriyat, and The Wire have also been impacted amid heightened tensions over the Kashmir region.

DW has more on India's media crackdown here.

India and Pakistan have traded accusations of ceasefire violations but reported hostilities have not ramped up to the levels seen leading up to the declaration of the ceasefire.

The accusations early on Sunday came just hours after the two rivals agreed to a truce, following days of attacks from both sides, the worst in decades. 

India launched airstrikes at targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir earlier in the week. 

India said the strikes were in retaliation for the massacre of tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir in April.

Follow this blog for the latest developments and reactions on Sunday, May 11.