New York, May 2 – In the wake of the devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 innocent lives, U.S. Vice President JD Vance has called for calm, empathy, and cooperation — urging both India and Pakistan to act with restraint and responsibility.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Vance, who had just returned from a four-day visit to India with his family, shared his deep concern over the tragedy. “Our hearts go out to the victims and their families,” he said, acknowledging the pain and grief left behind by the April 22 attack — the worst India has witnessed since the Pulwama incident in 2019.
“We sincerely hope India’s response is firm but focused, and doesn’t spiral into a larger conflict in the region,” Vance told Fox News’s Special Report. When asked if he was worried about the potential fallout between India and Pakistan, he responded candidly: “Of course I’m worried — any time tensions rise between two nuclear-armed nations, it’s serious. It’s not just geopolitics — it’s people’s lives.”
Vance emphasized the importance of dialogue, expressing the U.S.’s expectation that Pakistan would cooperate in tracking down those responsible for the violence. “We hope Pakistan takes this seriously and works with India to bring these attackers to justice. Terrorists operating from their soil must be dealt with decisively,” he said.
The attack, claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has once again strained relations between the two neighbors. In response, India has taken strong diplomatic measures, including the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty and closure of the Attari land-transit post.
Vance’s words reflect the wider sentiment shared by many world leaders — a firm condemnation of terrorism, solidarity with the victims, and a sincere call for peace.
