Shijin Anthonipilla

It is unfortunate, but there is a certain degree of tension that has been observed between India and Pakistan in recent years following the division of India into two separate nations. It is important to acknowledge the history between the two nations, which has included three full-scale wars (1947, 1965, and 1971) and a major standoff in Kargil (1999).

It has been brought to our attention that there appears to be a certain degree of discord between India and Pakistan in recent days. The immediate reason was the unfortunate incident in Pahalgam, where 26 people lost their lives in an attack on tourists. The accusation pertaining to the attack was attributed to Pakistan, on grounds that the attack was carried out in accordance with terrorist methodology.

In response to the attack on Pahalgam, the Indian government instigated several retaliatory measures against Pakistan. The immediate response was that, Government of India suspended the 1960 Indus water treaty, regulation of the distribution of water between the two nations, expelled all the Pakistani High commission members in New Delhi and summoned Pakistan’s top diplomats to express its concerns. One of the vital steps that took by the Indian Government was the Operation Sindoor, targeting nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and resulting in significant casualties among militants. On 7^th May 2025, the Government conducted a Operation abhyaas, a civil defence exercise across 244 districts as alerting people and indicating that India ready for any kind of retaliation and war.

In a swift and decisive move, Pakistan firmly denied any involvement in the Pahalgam attack and embarked on a swift and decisive retaliation. In light of the recent developments, Pakistan has invited India’s envoy to discuss the matter of the Indus Waters Treaty and other related issues. They have declared their readiness to utilize the “full spectrum of power, both conventional and nuclear,” in response to any Indian military action or interference with their water supply. In a triumphant announcement, Pakistan’s military has claimed to have neutralized several militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, labelling them as members of an “Indian proxy.”

In a momentous development, the international community has come together to find common ground and resolve the current tensions between India and Pakistan. UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized that a military solution is not the answer to the Kashmir conflict and called for dialogue between the two nations. The United States of America has issued a formal plea to both India and Pakistan, urging them to exercise utmost restraint and refrain from any actions that may result in further escalation of the situation. In the wake of the diplomatic incident, both countries Turkey and Azerbaijan issued formal statements in support of Pakistan, thereby inciting calls within India for a boycott of Turkish airlines and other Turkish products. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have adopted a more passive approach, assuming the role of mediators in the pursuit of peace.

The Pahalgam attack and the subsequent actions by both countries were a real game-changer, reshaping the landscape of the relationship between the two nations. Notwithstanding the present state of cessation of warfare, military forces from the two nations persist in their engagement within the geographical area under discussion. Therefore, The Pahalgam incident, along with the subsequent actions, consequently represented an additional occurrence in the broader context of the history of Indo-Pak tensions.