No one wins Indians anxious about potential war with Pakistan

BENGALURU – “Common Sense, Great Intelligence.”

This was how US President Donald Trump described the decision by India and Pakistan to cease military hostilities that have kept the countries on edge for three days.

Minutes after a “full and immediate ceasefire” was announced from 5pm on May 10, it felt as if a great weight was lifted off most Indians.

A sense of foreboding had gripped much of the country as military strikes across the border with Pakistan triggered fears of a larger-scale military confrontation, something that many young Indians have not had to think about for decades.

Several Indians who spoke to The Straits Times before the sudden ceasefire demanded a violent response to Pakistan’s alleged hand in the Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 22 that killed 26 civilians, while others called for restraint and peace.

Many requested anonymity or gave only their first names, amid a charged atmosphere.

After the ceasefire announcement, a few did grumble.

A 35-year-old software programmer in Bengaluru was upset about “the abrupt end” and wished India had “taught them (Pakistan) a good lesson” before agreeing to the ceasefire.

But others, like Delhi-based technology lawyer Apar Gupta, appear to have felt a surge of relief.

“I am glad that when peace presents itself, we rise to greet it... I believe the vast number of Indians recognise the true price of war,” he posted on social media platform X.

It was also welcome respite for thousands of Indians who have been facing artillery shelling and bombardment since May 7 near the Line of Control (LoC),India’s de facto border with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Indian government said artillery fire from Pakistan killed at least 16 and injured more than 50 in the worst violence between the two neighbours since a renewed ceasefire in