India and Pakistan Are on the Brink Again — And the World Can’t Afford Another War

India and Pakistan Are on the Brink Again — And the World Can’t Afford Another War.

After the devastating wars in Ukraine and Gaza, the last thing the world needs is another conflict — especially between two nuclear-armed rivals. Yet here we are, watching India and Pakistan once again teeter dangerously close to war over Kashmir.

What’s Happening Now?

Two weeks after a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, India has launched airstrikes inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in a military operation it has dubbed “Operation Sindoor.”

According to India’s Ministry of Defence, the strikes were a response to the 22 April militant attack in the popular resort town of Pahalgam, where 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali tourist were gunned down. India says its strikes targeted “terrorist infrastructure” used to plan such attacks. Delhi insists the strikes were "measured" and deliberately avoided hitting Pakistani military sites.

But Pakistan paints a very different picture. Officials there say India’s actions were unprovoked and struck civilian areas. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called it a “heinous act of aggression” and warned that it would not go unanswered.

In the aftermath, tensions have rapidly escalated:

• Pakistan says five Indian aircraft and a drone were shot down.

• India has not responded to those claims.

• Pakistan’s military says 26 people were killed and dozens injured in the Indian strikes.

• India, in turn, says seven civilians died due to retaliatory Pakistani shelling in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Where Were the Strikes?

India claims it hit nine locations, all described as sites where attacks were being “planned and directed.” These include areas in both Pakistan-administered Kashmir and in Pakistan proper.

Pakistan says the areas hit include:

• Muzaffarabad and Kotli (Pakistan-administered Kashmir)

• Bahawalpur (Punjab province, Pakistan)

While India insists these were terrorist camps, Pakistan argues they were civilian zones, accusing India of fabricating justification for the strikes.

LATEST: Deliveroo Agrees to £2.9bn DoorDash Takeover – But at What Cost?

Why Did India Strike?

The immediate trigger was the 22 April attack in Pahalgam, the worst civilian massacre in Kashmir in 20 years. Survivors say the militants were selectively targeting Hindus — a chilling detail that shocked India.

Though no group has claimed responsibility, and India has not formally named a perpetrator, Indian police allege that two of the attackers were Pakistani nationals. Delhi has long accused Islamabad of backing militant groups that operate in Kashmir — a claim Pakistan consistently denies.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised swift retaliation, saying the attackers would be punished “beyond their imagination.” These airstrikes are being positioned by India as exactly that — a signal of strength and deterrence.

But if strength is the goal, where does it end?

The Kashmir Flashpoint: A History of Blood and Blame

Kashmir is no stranger to bloodshed. Since the partition of British India in 1947, India and Pakistan have fought two wars over the region — and countless skirmishes.

Both countries claim Kashmir in full but control different parts of it. On the ground, the region has seen decades of armed insurgency, a heavy military presence, and regular violence targeting both soldiers and civilians.

India’s revocation of Article 370 in 2019 — which removed the region’s semi-autonomous status — was a turning point. While the move drew international criticism and sparked protests, the region also saw a sharp drop in militant activity and a boom in tourism.

But with the Pahalgam attack, old ghosts are reawakening. The violence threatens to undo years of relative calm.

LATEST: Grand Theft Auto VI’s Second Trailer Drops – And It’s Glorious.

How Close Are We to War?

Dangerously close.

This isn’t the first time India has launched strikes across the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border in Kashmir. Similar actions followed the Uri attack in 2016 and the Pulwama bombing in 2019, when 40 Indian paramilitary personnel were killed, prompting India to strike deep into Balakot, Pakistan.

Those incidents brought the countries to the brink, but war was narrowly averted.

This time, the risk feels greater. Both nations are flexing military might. Borders are tense. Diplomats have been expelled. Civilians are dying again.

And let’s not forget — India and Pakistan are nuclear powers.

The World Can’t Afford Another War

Ukraine. Gaza. Sudan. Yemen. The world is already drowning in violence. The last thing the planet needs is another devastating war, especially between nations with nuclear arsenals and deep-rooted animosity.

Where are the peacemakers? Where is the urgency in diplomatic circles?

So far, the international response has been muted:

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for “maximum restraint.”

• Other global leaders have remained silent or offered only vague calls for peace.

That’s not good enough.

LATEST: How Much Money Has Rockstar Made From The Grand Theft Auto Games?

Diplomacy, Not Dogfights

India has a right to defend its citizens. Pakistan has a right to reject baseless accusations. But both must recognize the catastrophic price of escalation.

World leaders must do more than “hope” for peace. They must actively pressure both nations to de-escalate, investigate the Pahalgam attack through international channels, and return to dialogue.

We cannot normalize airstrikes. We cannot normalize tit-for-tat bombings. And we cannot afford another front in the global war zone.

The world is bleeding. Diplomacy is the only bandage left.