India and Pakistan have agreed to withdraw military reinforcements from their shared border by late May, following their most intense military confrontation in decades, according to a senior Pakistani security official
The deadly escalation occurred in early May, marking the fiercest clash between the two nuclear-armed rivals since the 1999 war. The latest crisis began on April 22 when gunmen opened fire at a tourist site in Indian Kashmir, killing 26 people, most of them Hindus.
India vowed retaliation, accusing a rebel group allegedly backed by Islamabad of carrying out the attack. Pakistan denied involvement.
New Delhi launched missile strikes on May 6 late night on what it claimed were militant camps inside Pakistani territory, targeting the group it blamed for the Pahalgam attack.
Pakistan responded swiftly, leading to a rapid military escalation.
The confrontation sparked global fears of a full-scale war, prompting both sides to deploy additional troops along the heavily militarised Line of Control (LoC) – the de facto border in Kashmir.
After four days of missile, drone, and artillery exchanges that killed at least 60 people and displaced thousands on both sides, a ceasefire was announced on May 10 – a surprise initiative brokered by US President Donald Trump.
Two days later, senior military officials from both countries held a phone call, during which they agreed on “immediate steps to reduce troop numbers at the border,” according to India’s Chief of Staff. The troops will gradually return to pre-conflict positions by late May, the senior Pakistani security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
He added that “all these arrangements were originally meant to be completed in ten days, but delays occurred.”
India and Pakistan have disputed the Kashmir region since gaining independence from British rule and undergoing a violent partition in 1947.
In a separate development, Indian authorities have arrested 11 individuals suspected of spying for Pakistan, following what has been the most severe military escalation between the two countries in decades, according to local media reports.
The India Times reported that the 11 detainees were allegedly recruited into a spy network via social media, financial incentives, false promises, messaging apps, and in-person visits to Pakistan.
India’s NDTV channel reported on Monday that nine suspects were arrested in the northern states of Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh.
Punjab Police Director General Gaurav Yadav said on Monday that two individuals were detained on suspicion of leaking sensitive military information, following credible intelligence that they had transmitted classified details related to India’s May 6–7 strikes on Pakistan.
The preliminary investigation revealed that the two detainees were in direct contact with operatives from Pakistan’s intelligence agency and had passed along critical information about the Indian armed forces.
Last week, Indian police also arrested a woman under similar charges. According to local media, the woman, a travel blogger, had visited Pakistan at least twice and had been in contact with an official at Islamabad’s embassy.
The list of those arrested includes a student, a security guard, and a businessman.
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