India and Pakistan are stepping up both military and diplomatic efforts in response to a deadly attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir, raising concerns of potential conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
India has accused Pakistan of supporting the militants responsible for the April 22 massacre that left 26 people dead, most of them Hindu tourists from India, labeling it a terrorist act. Pakistan has denied any involvement.
In retaliation, both nations have expelled each other’s diplomats, closed their borders and airspace, and India has halted a key water-sharing agreement with Pakistan.
A Pakistani official recently claimed Islamabad has “credible intelligence” of a possible Indian strike, though no military action has been taken by New Delhi so far.
Global Calls for Calm
Following international condemnation of the attack, world leaders are now urging both countries to de-escalate. The U.N. Security Council is expected to meet privately on Monday to discuss the growing crisis.
Pressure is mounting on both governments — which have previously fought two wars over Kashmir — to avoid further confrontation. The U.S., China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia have all encouraged restraint. Iran has offered to mediate between the two sides.
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At the same time, both countries are actively lobbying global support for their respective positions.
India has emphasized what it says are cross-border connections to the attackers by briefing diplomats from numerous nations.
“This time, India’s diplomatic push is quite comprehensive. The aim is to present its evidence and show that any potential response would have international backing,” said Harsh Pant, a foreign policy expert at New Delhi’s Observer Research Foundation.
Pakistan, meanwhile, has offered to cooperate with an international investigation into the attack and has also engaged with foreign diplomats. Islamabad maintains that it will respond with equal or greater force if India launches military action.
Border Tensions and Kashmir Crackdown
India’s military has reported repeated exchanges of fire along the Line of Control in Kashmir, blaming Pakistan for unprovoked shelling over ten consecutive nights. Pakistan has in turn accused India of violating a ceasefire agreement.
Indian security forces have launched a large-scale operation to find those responsible for the April 22 attack. Over 2,000 individuals have been detained for questioning, with some held under anti-terror laws that allow detention without formal charges. Security forces have also demolished at least nine homes belonging to suspected militants seeking independence or unification with Pakistan.
This crackdown has sparked fear across Kashmir, reviving painful memories of the region’s long history of insurgency and harsh countermeasures by Indian authorities.
“Kashmiris are always the first to suffer when tensions between India and Pakistan rise,” said Praveen Donthi, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group. “The collective punishment and state violence only deepen the conflict.”
Pakistan conducts ballistic missile test amid soaring tensions with India
Displays of Military Power
Pakistan’s military on Monday conducted a test of a short-range missile, following a medium-range missile launch over the weekend. India’s navy also tested missiles last week.
Tensions echo the 2019 confrontation between the two countries, which nearly escalated into a wider conflict before U.S. intervention helped defuse the situation.