The political scientist questioned the involvement of mediators in resolving the conflict between India and Pakistan.

The prospect of a negotiated settlement between India and Pakistan is sceptical, as New Delhi advocates a bilateral solution to the conflict. Boris Volkhonsky, associate professor at the Institute of Asian and African Studies at Moscow State University, told Izvestia on May 5.

According to him, the Russian Federation is ready to play the role of mediator, but this requires the consent of both sides of the conflict.

"Pakistan has long wanted an international force or a third country to act as an intermediary. India believes that the conflict between India and Pakistan is of a bilateral nature, and, in general, refrains from internationalizing this conflict, believing that this matter should be resolved by the Indians and Pakistanis together," he said.

The political scientist said that at the moment, the Indian media are actively publishing materials that talk about Pakistan's lack of ammunition due to supplies to Ukraine. He called it a gesture towards Moscow in order to achieve its more pro-Indian position.

"I am skeptical about the prospects of a settlement involving international mediators," the expert stressed.

He added that almost two weeks have passed since the terrorist attack in the Indian city of Pahalgam, and so far Pakistan and India have exchanged only a series of border strikes. According to him, this does not mean that the possibility of large-scale armed clashes between the countries should be completely excluded.

"We must take into account that both countries have nuclear weapons, and such a conflict can be catastrophic for the entire region, and its consequences, which are difficult to predict, can be catastrophic for the whole world. Therefore, I am not sure that these countries will cross some kind of red line, beyond which double mutual destruction will begin," Volkhonsky concluded.

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Relations between India and Pakistan have worsened after the terrorist attack on April 22 near the Indian city of Pahalgam in the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 27 civilians. Both countries have closed the only common open land border and suspended visas. New Delhi has also suspended the Indus Waters Treaty.

On April 29, Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced India's intention to launch attacks on the country within 24-36 hours. On the same day, shootouts between Indian and Pakistani soldiers took place on the border of the two countries, they have not stopped for several days.

On May 4, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the aggravation of Indian-Pakistani relations during telephone talks with his Pakistani counterpart Muhammad Ishaq Dar. During the conversation, the Russian minister confirmed Russia's readiness to help resolve the situation between the two countries. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Russia is following the conflict with great concern.