Tensions have escalated between the two nuclear powers following Tuesday’s attack on tourists by separatists in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Islamabad/New Delhi – April 24, 2025
Tensions between India and Pakistan have sharply escalated following a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir on Tuesday that left 26 people dead. The assault, claimed by a separatist group, has triggered a wave of retaliatory diplomatic and military posturing by both nuclear-armed nations.
India responded by suspending its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty, closing its land border with Pakistan, and expelling Pakistani officials. Pakistan hit back Thursday, announcing it would suspend all bilateral agreements with India, including the landmark 1972 Simla Agreement, and warning that any disruption of water supplies would be considered “an act of war.”
Both sides have drastically downgraded diplomatic ties and shut down airspace and trade routes. Pakistan’s National Security Committee declared it was “prepared to respond with full force” to any Indian provocation. Meanwhile, Indian leaders hinted at potential military retaliation, drawing comparisons to the 2019 Balakot airstrikes.
Security analysts warn the situation risks spiraling into open conflict, especially with both countries maintaining heightened alert levels. The dispute over Kashmir, a territory claimed in full by both nations, remains at the heart of the crisis.
Former diplomats and analysts urge restraint, but fear the current climate leaves little room for diplomacy. With military buildups underway and inflammatory rhetoric on the rise, the specter of confrontation looms large over South Asia.
