Russia offers help to resolve India-Pakistan differences over Kashmir

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke to his Pakistani counterpart and offered Russia’s help in resolving tensions between Pakistan and India over Kashmir, the Foreign Ministry said.

“Particular attention was paid to the significant rise in tension between New Delhi and Islamabad,” the ministry said in a statement, referring to Lavrov’s conversation with Ishaq Dar, who is also Pakistan’s deputy prime minister.

“It was stressed that Russia is ready to act for a political settlement of the situation resulting from the act of terrorism of April 22 in the Pahalgam area of the Kashmir valley, in the event of a mutual desire on the part of Islamabad and New Delhi,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on Telegram.

Lavrov’s conversation with Dar took place two days after he spoke with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and also called for a settlement of differences between the two neighbouring countries.

According to state-run Radio Pakistan, Ishaq Dar discussed recent regional developments during conversation with Lavrov. Dar rejected India’s baseless allegations and inflammatory rhetoric against Pakistan.

He also strongly condemned India’s unilateral and illegal move to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, terming it a clear violation of international obligations.

The Deputy Prime Minister also conveyed Pakistan’s offer for an international, transparent, and independent investigation into the recent developments.

In his remarks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed concern over the situation and underlined the need for diplomacy and restraint by all sides to prevent escalation.

Notably, Suspected militants killed at least 26 people in last week’s attack on a mountain tourist destination in the Pahalgam area of the Indian Occupied Kashmir.

Russia has been India’s largest weapons provider for decadesand New Delhi and Moscow have had close ties since Soviet times.