2025 India–Pakistan crisis

Following the Pahalgam terrorist attack on 22 April 2025, a crisis emerged between India and Pakistan, sparked by the killing of 26 tourists by the militants in Kashmir. The Resistance Front (TRF) initially claimed responsibility for the attack. Armed skirmishes between India and Pakistan were reported along the Line of Control (LoC) beginning on 24 April. On 7 May 2025, India launched missile strikes in Pakistan, leading to a military conflict between the two countries. On 7 May 2025 Pakistan's Army responded by launching a blitz on Poonch, Jammu killing 16 civilians and leaving hundreds of homes destroyed. A ceasefire was announced on 10 May 2025 following an agreement between India and Pakistan.

The crisis emerged between the two countries after the Pahalgam terrorist attack, as India accused Pakistan of sponsoring the militants, leading Pakistan to deny its involvement and state they would be willing to cooperate with an international inquiry. India responded to the attack by expelling Pakistani diplomats, recalling its diplomatic staff, cutting off visa services, and suspending the Indus Waters Treaty. Pakistan initially responded with trade restrictions, closure of airspace and border crossings, and suspension of the Shimla Agreement. Between 24 April and 6 May, Pakistan and India engaged in skirmishes including cross-border firing and intermittent artillery shelling.

On 7 May 2025, India launched missile strikes on Pakistan, codenamed Operation Sindoor. According to India, the missile strikes targeted the militant groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. According to Pakistan, the Indian strikes targeted civilian areas, including mosques, killing 31 Pakistani civilians. In return, said they had downed a number of Indian jets and damaged Indian infrastructure. It was believed to be the heaviest shelling attack since the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971. On early 10 May 2025, Pakistan launched their retaliatory operation codenamed Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos and military hostilities continued until a ceasefire was reached on late 10 May 2025.

Background

An Islamist armed insurgency broke out in Jammu and Kashmir in the late 1980s, which resulted in the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from the region and the insurgency has been ongoing since.

On 22 April 2025, a terrorist attack at Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam in the Anantnag district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir killed at least 26 tourists and injured more than 20 others. According to eyewitness testimonies provided to Indian media outlets, assailants reportedly questioned potential victims about their religious identity before opening fire, specifically targeting non-Muslims. All tourists killed were Hindus, except for one identified as a Christian.

The attack became among the deadliest attacks against Indian civilians in the region since 2000. The Resistance Front (TRF), believed to be an offshoot of the Pakistan-based, UN-designated terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, initially claimed responsibility. They stated that the attack was in opposition to Indian government policy allowing Indian citizens to live and work in Kashmir, resulting in non-local settlement in the region. Four days later, they retracted their claim.

Diplomatic crisis

On the night of 23 April 2025, the Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri held a special press briefing after a meeting with the CCS. He announced India's decision to temporarily suspend the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan with immediate effect until Pakistan ceases its support for cross-border terrorism. He further announced the closure of the integrated check post at Attari–Wagah Border, a travel ban for all Pakistani nationals to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme, and cancellation of all previously issued visas. Additionally, Pakistani military advisers at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi were expelled, while their Indian counterparts in Islamabad were withdrawn, and the staff strength of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad was reduced from 55 to a minimum of 30. The posts of such military advisors were deemed abolished.

Pakistan's foreign ministry expressed condolences to the families of the victims, and its defense minister, Khawaja Asif, dismissed the allegations of his country's involvement in the attack and regarded such events as revolutions. However, in an interview with Sky News, while responding to allegations of terrorism, Asif said that Pakistan had backed terrorist activities at the direction of United States, Britain and the West going back three decades.

Pakistan responded to the suspension of the treaty by describing it as inappropriate and lacking seriousness. Pakistan also warned India of a comprehensive retaliation in response to the actions announced by the Indian government in the aftermath of the incident, further stating that any action affecting water resources would be considered an act of war. On 24 April, Pakistan suspended visas issued to Indian nationals and closed its airspace to Indian aircraft, expelled Indian diplomats and instructed Indian military advisers to depart the country no later than the 30 April. However, the Kartarpur Corridor remained open for Sikh pilgrims. Pakistan also cut off all trade with India. Pakistan also suspended the Simla Agreement, on 24 April 2025 in retaliation. The Attari–Wagah border ceremony was also reduced and the symbolic handshake did not take place. Cross-border families were affected where their visas revoked.

Skirmishes

A joint cordon and search operation was initiated by the Indian Army, paramilitary forces, and Jammu and Kashmir Police. A temporary lockdown was imposed in Pahalgam, and Indian Army helicopters were deployed to track down the militants, who reportedly fled to the upper reaches of the Pir Panjal range. On 25 April, soldiers demolished the family residences of two individuals suspected of involvement in the Pahalgam attack. An Indian soldier was killed and two other soldiers wounded during a gunfight with insurgents in the Basantgarh region of Udhampur. Senior Lashkar-e-Taiba Commander Altaf Lalli was also killed in the gunfight.

Both Pakistani and Indian air forces conducted intensive flights near the LoC. An Indian Border Security Force soldier belonging to the 182nd battalion of the BSF was captured by Pakistan Rangers after he accidentally entered the Pakistani side of the Ferozepur border.

Also on 24 April, the Indian XV Corps reported that it had thwarted an infiltration attempt by insurgents near Uri and killed 2 insurgents.

Between 24 April and 5 May, Indian and Pakistani army engaged in skirmishes and exchanged small arms firing. Reportedly, Pakistan's army initiated small arms firing across various sectors along the LoC, which was described as "unprovoked" by Indian media. The Pakistani army stated it shot down two Indian military quadcopter drones along the LoC in the Satwal sector and in the Manawar sector of Bhimber district.

On 28 April, Pakistani Defense Minister Asif stated that an attack from the Indian armed forces was "imminent". On 30 April, Pakistan claimed it has "credible intelligence" that India is going to launch military action within several hours. On the night of 29 April, Pakistani forces opened fire on the international border along Kashmir. On 1 May, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah said that no terrorist involved in the attack would be spared by India.

On 3 May, a soldier from the Pakistan Rangers was captured by BSF after crossing the border to India.

On 5 May, the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs announced an "effective civil defence in the event of a hostile attack" on 7 May across 7 states. Such drills were last conducted by India during 1971. As per reports, the drill includes operationalisation of Air Raid Warning Sirens, crash blackout measures, training of civilians on civil defence and evacuation plans.

Release of river water

Following the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 on 23 April 2025, local media in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, reported on 26 and 27 April that India had released water from the Uri Dam into the Jhelum River unannounced, resulting in flooding. Additional reports indicated a sharp decline in water levels of the Chenab River in Sialkot, Pakistan, with satellite imagery showing significant drying of the riverbed. On 4 May 2025, India had closed the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River and was planning a similar move at the Kishanganga Dam on the Neelum River.

Missile strikes and escalation

On the night of 6/7 May, India launched "Operation Sindoor", striking what it described as "terrorist infrastructure" in Pakistan. The operation lasted 23 minutes and consisted of missile strikes by IAF jets. Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence (India), said on 8 May that at least 100 militants had been killed in the strikes.

According to India, the missile strikes of Operation Sindoor targeted the camps and infrastructure of militant groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, and no Pakistani military facilities were targeted. According to Pakistan, the Indian strikes targeted civilian areas, including mosques, killing 31 Pakistani civilians. Following these strikes, border skirmishes and drone strikes occurred between the two countries. Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar accepted that 10 members of his family and four of his aides were killed in India's airstrikes on the group's headquarters at the Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur.