Indian air chief confirms his govt requested ceasefire with Pakistan

India’s Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh stated in a recent address that the Indian armed forces decided to seek a ceasefire during the four-day military confrontation with Pakistan. He emphasized that the truce was not the result of any foreign pressure, but because India had achieved its objectives and chose to stop the war.

Speaking at the 93rd Air Force Day celebration, Singh said that clear commands were given to the Indian armed forces with defined objectives, and it was pre-established that the conflict would end once those goals were met.

He stated, “We took a call as a nation to terminate the hostilities because our own objectives were met.”

India launched an unprovoked military assault against Pakistan on May 7, 2025, conducting strikes on civilian areas in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir following an attack on Indian tourists in IIOJK’s Pahalgam on April 22, 2025.

According to Singh, after accomplishing its “very clear” objectives in just four days, India decided to end the conflict at the earliest opportunity.

Singh’s statement comes amid domestic criticism that the government halted operations too soon under pressure from the United States. US President Donald Trump had repeatedly claimed to have brokered a ceasefire.

However, India’s Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar, publicly rejected that narrative, stating that it was India’s military action, not US diplomacy, that compelled Pakistan to stop.

Singh also warned that prolonging wars serves ego more than national interest, citing the ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict and Israel’s war in Gaza.

While Pakistan’s government and military acknowledged Trump’s role in mediating the conflict, New Delhi has denied US involvement, despite reports that Jaishankar admitted the US had warned India of a potential “very massive assault” by Pakistan, after which Prime Minister Modi agreed to a ceasefire.