NewsIndia-Pakistan clash renews fears of nuclear escalation
India-Pakistan clash renews fears of nuclear escalation
India reported on Wednesday morning, local time, that it had launched a military operation against Pakistan, targeting "terror infrastructure" in both Pakistan and the Pakistani-administered Kashmir. Pakistan responded with attacks on Indian aircraft.
- India reported on Wednesday morning, local time, that it had commenced a military operation against Pakistan, striking "terror infrastructure" in both Pakistan and the Pakistani-administered Kashmir.
- The current escalation of tensions began with a terrorist attack. In April, armed assailants attacked tourists in the town of Pahalgam in Kashmir, killing 26 people. Police stated that the attack was carried out by militants opposing Indian control over the Muslim-majority territory.
- According to information provided by the spokesperson for the Pakistani army, Pakistan's armed forces shot down five Indian machines, including three Rafale jets and one each of Su-30 and MiG-29. They were reportedly shot down while they were in Indian airspace. Simultaneously, according to the spokesperson, Indian aircraft were attacked only after they conducted strikes on Pakistani territory. He added that no Pakistani aircraft were shot down.
- In the attacks conducted by India on Pakistani territory on Wednesday, eight people were killed and almost 40 were injured — informed the spokesperson for Pakistan's armed forces, Gen. Ahmed Sharif, as quoted by Reuters. "This attack is unjustified and an absolutely blind aggression,” said Pakistani information minister Attaullah Tarar. The Indian army reported, in turn, that three Indian civilians were killed as a result of Pakistani shelling.
- The exchange of fire between Indian and Pakistani forces took place at numerous locations along the Line of Control in the disputed region of Kashmir, added Gen. Sharif.
- "The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan," relayed the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, quoted by Reuters.
- The escalation reports were commented on by Donald Trump. "It's a shame, we just heard about it,” he said at a press conference at the White House. "I just hope it ends very quickly,” he added.
- India's attack on Pakistan is another chapter in the conflict between these countries. The Kashmir dispute has been ongoing since 1947. The region, divided by the Line of Control, remains one of the most militarised areas in the world, and recent events, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, threaten further escalation.
- The origins of the conflict date back to the partition of British India in 1947 when Maharaja Hari Singh of Kashmir, facing an invasion of tribes supported by Pakistan, signed the accession to India. This triggered the first in a series of Indo-Pakistani wars (1947–1948, 1965, 1971, 1999), shaping the division of Kashmir into areas administered by India (Jammu and Kashmir) and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan). The subsequent decades brought border clashes, Pakistan-backed separatist movements, and Indian military operations in the Kashmir Valley.
- The main causes of the dispute are religious differences — the Muslim majority in Kashmir is supported by Pakistan, whereas India considers the region an integral part of the country. Kashmir's location is also of considerable significance, including control over the water resources of the Indus and Jhelum rivers. The geopolitical importance is amplified by the proximity of China, which controls Aksai Chin, and the Siachen Glacier, the highest battleground in the world.
- Recent years have seen new tensions. In 2019, India revoked the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir, leading to protests and deteriorating relations with Pakistan. The attack on tourists in Pahalgam in April 2025, attributed by India to Pakistan-backed militants, led to a diplomatic crisis. India responded by closing the border, expelling Pakistani diplomats, and suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, crucial for Pakistani agriculture. Pakistan reacted by limiting trade, closing its airspace to Indian airlines, and suspending the Simla Agreement.
- Militarily, India surpasses Pakistan, with an army of 1.4 million soldiers, a defence budget of $81 billion (£60.6 billion), and advanced weaponry, including nuclear arms. Pakistan, with an army of 650,000 soldiers and a budget of 10.4 billion (£7.8 billion), relies on asymmetric tactics and nuclear deterrence, supported by China. Both countries avoid full-scale war due to the nuclear risk, but border incidents, like the exchange of fire along the Line of Control in April 2025, maintain the tension.
- The conflict has broader consequences. The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty threatens a food crisis in Pakistan, and both countries closing their airspace disrupts international flight connections. The international community, including the US, China, and the UN, calls for de-escalation, but the lack of consensus hinders mediation. Kashmir remains a symbol of unresolved tensions, where religion, politics, and natural resources intertwine in one of the most enduring conflicts of the modern world.
