India-Pakistan Tensions Rise After Kashmir Attack Sparks Crisis/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ India and Pakistan are facing one of their most serious crises in years after an attack in Kashmir left 26 people dead, mostly Indian Hindu tourists. India blames Pakistan for supporting the assailants, which Islamabad denies. Both countries have expelled diplomats, closed borders, and escalated military posturing, raising fears of a new conflict between the nuclear-armed rivals.
India-Pakistan Kashmir Crisis: Quick Looks
- Massacre Sparks Crisis: India blames Pakistan for an April 22 Kashmir attack that killed 26.
- Diplomatic Fallout: Both nations have expelled diplomats, closed borders, and halted airspace access.
- Water Treaty Suspended: India suspends a key water-sharing agreement with Pakistan.
- Missile Tests Escalate Tensions: Pakistan tests short- and medium-range missiles; India’s navy follows suit.
- Border Skirmishes Intensify: Nightly gunfire reported along the Line of Control in Kashmir.
- International Alarm: The U.N. Security Council to discuss the crisis amid global calls for restraint.
- Kashmir Crackdown: India detains over 2,000 in search for attackers; nine homes of suspects destroyed.
- Fear in Kashmir: Locals face trauma and anxiety amid sweeping security operations.
- Pakistan Offers Cooperation: Islamabad calls for an international investigation but warns of retaliation.
- History of Conflict: India and Pakistan have fought three wars, two over Kashmir.
India-Pakistan Tensions Rise After Kashmir Attack Sparks Crisis
Deep Look
India and Pakistan are locked in a dangerous escalation following a deadly massacre in Indian-administered Kashmir, reviving fears of another military conflict between the two nuclear powers. On April 22, gunmen opened fire on a group of Hindu tourists, killing 26 in a rare and shocking act of mass violence in the region. India promptly blamed Pakistan for harboring and supporting the perpetrators, a charge Pakistan strongly denies.
In response to the attack, both nations have launched aggressive diplomatic campaigns and taken reciprocal punitive measures. Diplomatic expulsions, border closures, airspace shutdowns, and even the suspension of a vital water-sharing treaty under the Indus Waters Treaty have all contributed to an atmosphere of heightened hostility.
Tensions further deepened when a Pakistani minister claimed last week that Islamabad had “credible intelligence” of an imminent Indian strike. While India has not initiated military action yet, the war rhetoric and heightened security measures suggest both countries are bracing for possible escalation.
International concern has grown rapidly. The U.N. Security Council is expected to hold closed consultations, while leaders from the U.S., China, Russia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia have urged both sides to step back from the brink. Iran has offered to mediate, but so far, both India and Pakistan seem focused on asserting their own narratives.
In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has embarked on a wide-reaching diplomatic offensive, briefing foreign envoys on what it calls “clear evidence” of cross-border involvement in the attack. “India’s aim is to build international consensus ahead of any potential response,” said Harsh Pant, a foreign policy expert at the Observer Research Foundation.
Pakistan, meanwhile, has sought to present itself as cooperative by inviting an international investigation into the incident, while cautioning that it will match or exceed any Indian military move.
On the ground, tensions are most acutely felt in Kashmir. The Indian military has launched a sweeping crackdown in pursuit of the gunmen behind the April 22 killings. More than 2,000 people have been detained and questioned. Some have been arrested under strict anti-terrorism laws that permit detention without charges. Indian security forces have also destroyed nine homes belonging to families of suspected militants.
The crackdown has revived painful memories in a region that has endured decades of insurgency and military suppression. “Kashmiris are always the first to bear the brunt of any political or military tensions between India and Pakistan,” said Praveen Donthi of the International Crisis Group. “The collective punishment imposed on Kashmiris and the state violence unleashed against them further inflames the conflict.”
Military posturing has also escalated. Pakistan conducted missile tests on both Saturday and Monday, launching medium- and short-range missiles in a show of strength. India’s navy followed suit with missile testing last week. The last time the two countries approached a similar flashpoint was in 2019, following a suicide bombing in Kashmir, which nearly led to a full-scale conflict before U.S. diplomatic intervention eased tensions.
Both countries maintain large standing armies and sophisticated missile arsenals. Their shared history is punctuated by three wars — two of which were fought over Kashmir, a disputed region both countries claim in full but govern in parts.
The situation remains volatile, and analysts warn that any misstep or localized escalation could spiral out of control. The region, already prone to flare-ups, now faces a precarious future as diplomacy teeters and military forces mobilize.
With the next moves from New Delhi and Islamabad still unclear, the world watches closely — hoping for de-escalation, but preparing for the possibility of another crisis in South Asia’s most dangerous geopolitical theater.
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