“The French president and I agree that we view last night’s clashes between these two nuclear powers with the utmost concern,” he said. “Now, more than ever, it is necessary to keep a cool head. Prudence and reason are called for.”
He added that Paris, Berlin and regional partners are “trying to exert our influence” to stop the hostilities from spiraling out of control.
Islamabad said it had retaliated by shooting down five Indian fighter jets, and New Delhi said Pakistani strikes on the Indian-controlled side of the Kashmir border killed 10 civilians.
The conflict was triggered on April 22, when Islamist militants massacred 26 people at a popular tourist spot in an Indian-administered region of Kashmir. The gunmen, whom New Delhi accused Islamabad of backing, reportedly targeted Hindus, who make up the majority of the Indian population. Pakistan is a Muslim-majority country.
Both India and Pakistan — which have been at war before, most recently in 1999 — control parts of Kashmir and claim sovereignty over the entire region.
India initially retaliated by expelling Pakistani diplomats, suspending a crucial water treaty and canceling visas for Pakistani nationals, with Pakistan responding in kind. But the military strikes on Tuesday marked a dramatic heightening of tensions.
