Amid escalating tensions, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged India and Pakistan to de-escalate immediately, speaking with S Jaishankar and Shehbaz Sharif. He emphasized US support for direct dialogue and asked Pakistan to end support for terrorist groups, following retaliatory air strikes and India’s Operation Sindoor. Blackouts have been enforced in border regions of Jammu, Punjab and Rajasthan.

India’s key domestic airlines said their flights would remain suspended until Saturday from airports including Amritsar and Srinagar.

This comes as Indian air defence units successfully intercepted at least eight missiles fired by Pakistan towards the border areas of Jammu