UK Welcomes India-Pakistan Ceasefire, Urges Sustained De-escalation

The UK welcomed the India-Pakistan ceasefire, urging sustained de-escalation and dialogue amid regional tensions and international diplomatic efforts.

Written By : PTI | Updated at : 10 May 2025 10:35 PM (IST)

The UK on Saturday welcomed the ceasefire agreed between India and Pakistan, calling on both nations to sustain their steps towards de-escalation.

"Today's ceasefire between India and Pakistan is hugely welcome. I urge both parties to sustain this. De-escalation is in everybody's interest," said Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

He took to social media soon after Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters in New Delhi that the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of Pakistan had called his Indian counterpart on Saturday afternoon to agree to "stop all firing and military action on land, in the air and sea, with effect from 1700 hours IST".

Today’s ceasefire between India and Pakistan is hugely welcome.

I urge both parties to sustain this. De-escalation is in everybody’s interest.
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) May 10, 2025

The announcement followed a night of intense military activity in the region, with Lammy expressing "serious concern" and calling on India and Pakistan to move towards a "dialogue that leads to a swift and sustainable ceasefire".

Earlier, in a joint statement with fellow G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States and the High Representative of the European Union, the UK had strongly condemned the "egregious terrorist attack" in Pahalgam on April 22 and urged maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan.

"Further military escalation poses a serious threat to regional stability. We are deeply concerned for the safety of civilians on both sides. We call for immediate de-escalation and encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome. We continue to monitor events closely and express our support for a swift and lasting diplomatic resolution," read the statement, issued hours before the ceasefire announcement.

Diaspora groups in Britain reacted with guarded relief, with Friends of India Society International (FISI) UK highlighting India's "firm and uncompromising" stand against terrorism and INSIGHT UK stressing on a "humanity against terrorism" message.

"There are no winners in war. A lot of innocent people suffer unnecessarily and therefore, I welcome this step and hope that good sense will prevail where both sides agree never again," said Rami Ranger, House of Lords peer and Chairman of the British Sikh Association.

"History has a habit of repeating itself if we don't learn from it. So, I hope this time, the Pakistani leaders will learn from the history. This could be the time when we draw a line and end this hostility forever," Lord Ranger said.

Chietigj Bajpaee, Senior Research Fellow at the London-based think tank Chatham House, struck a note of caution because the ceasefire does not resolve the "underlying grievances" in the India-Pakistan bilateral relationship.

"India has stated that it considers any future terror attack an act of war, so the situation remains precarious. Short of a genuine peace process, it is not a question of if, but when tensions escalate once again," said the regional analyst.

"Most of the international community had come forward calling for restraint and de-escalation, including the United Kingdom... It comes at a time of a string of Free Trade Agreements that countries are trying to conclude with India, the UK has just been concluded, there are ongoing negotiations with the European Union and the US. But these global aspirations are playing out against this regional insecurity, creating a strategic dilemma for India," he said.

The ceasefire announcement came as an "Emergency Peace Demonstration" prepared to gather at Parliament Square in London, calling on India and Pakistan to end the hostilities in the region. Organisations including South Asia Solidarity Group, South Asia Justice Campaign, Hindus for Human Rights UK and India Labour Solidarity came together to demand an immediate end to all military attacks between India and Pakistan, de-escalation and immediate peace talks.

"We are also standing together in our determination to thwart further attempts to divide our communities here in Britain," the South Asia Solidarity Group stated.