Ishaq Dar confirms NSA-level contact between Pakistan and India

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed on Wednesday that the national security advisers (NSAs) of Pakistan and India have established contact following recent military exchanges between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

In an interview with TRT World, Dar acknowledged communication between the two sides when asked if the NSAs had spoken after overnight strikes and retaliatory actions. “Yes, there has been contact between the two,” he stated.

Pakistan recently appointed Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt. Gen. Muhammad Asim Malik as its NSA, while India’s NSA remains Ajit Doval. The development marks the first known high-level engagement between the two countries since the latest escalation began.

The contact comes after "cross-border strikes and counterstrikes that raised fears of further escalation".

Neither side has disclosed details of the discussions, but diplomatic observers suggest the communication could signal efforts to de-escalate tensions.