Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated following a deadly attack in 2025, where 26 individuals, predominantly Hindus, were killed in Pahalgam, in Indian-administered Kashmir. India has accused Pakistan of orchestrating the massacre, a claim that Pakistan vehemently denies. In the aftermath, both nations have engaged in border skirmishes, with soldiers exchanging gunfire and blaming each other for initiating hostilities.
In reaction to the violence, India and Pakistan expelled diplomats, closed their borders, and grounded flights in a bid to prevent further escalation. This incident has drawn attention to the long history of conflict between the two nations—dating back to their partition in 1947, which led to the first war over the disputed Kashmir region. A UN-brokered ceasefire in 1949 left the territory divided, but a promised referendum has yet to occur.
Over the decades, the two countries have fought multiple wars and endured numerous conflicts, including a second war in 1965, a brutal civil war in 1971 leading to the formation of Bangladesh, and the establishment of the Line of Control in 1972 that continues to define the military divide in Kashmir. Insurrections erupted in Kashmir in 1989 against Indian rule, further complicating the already fraught relationship.
The Kargil War in 1999 saw Pakistani forces infiltrate Indian territory, prompting significant aerial and ground operations by India. Recent confrontations include a deadly 2016 attack on an Indian army base, which led to India conducting “surgical strikes” across the border, and a 2019 incident where a suicide bomber killed 40 Indian soldiers, spurring Indian airstrikes into Pakistan.
The 2025 attack has brought the conflict to its highest tension since 2019, as both countries have taken severe diplomatic measures, including the cancellation of visas and the suspension of a key water-sharing agreement. The situation remains highly volatile, with the potential for further escalation as both nations maintain their accusations against one another.