An attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir, occurred on April 22, resulting in multiple casualties.
India
and
Pakistan
A step nearer to conflict, indicating the most significant deterioration in relationships since 2019.
Conflict between
India
It is not uncommon for Pakistan and India to be at odds, as the two nations have frequently been involved in conflicts, battles, and minor disputes since their separation from British India in 1947.
The distinguishing aspect of this escalation is the increased frequency and severity of strikes and retaliations.
Although the U.S. had said it would not step in, it is now offering assistance in “starting constructive talks” between India and Pakistan to avoid future conflicts. But calls for restraint from the international community have yet to make an impact.
Here’s a timeline of how the latest conflict has unfolded:
April 22
At least 26 tourists are shot and killed by gunmen at a Pahalgam resort in Indian-administered area.
Kashmir
, a significant change in a regional conflict that has mostly spared civilians. Unidentified assailants also injured 17 additional individuals. A organization referred to as
Kashmir
The resistance, which India alleges Pakistan supports, is claiming responsibility for the attack.
The survivors reported that the assailants questioned individuals about their religion, specifically asking if they were Hindu, before opening fire.
April 23
India degrades diplomatic relations, shuts the last operational overland passageway, and halts an essential agreement for sharing water resources that has endured through two conflicts and a significant military confrontation between both nations.
India launches a manhunt for the Pahalgam assailants. Pakistan denies involvement with the attack.
April 24
India and Pakistan cancel visas for each other’s nationals, setting a deadline for them to leave. In retaliation, Pakistan shuts its airspace for all Indian-owned or Indian-operated airlines, and suspends all trade with India, including to and from any third country.
Government ministers on both sides hint the dispute could escalate to military action.
April 25
India states that its forces engaged in reciprocal gunfire with Pakistani soldiers at the border.
Line of Control
, the de facto boundary separating the contested Kashmir area.
Pakistan has threatened to revoke the accord that delineates the Line of Control, which would be a significant and concerning move. The United Nations has called for both parties to “show utmost caution.”
April 26
Pakistani Prime Minister
Shehbaz Sharif
pledges that his administration will react “with all strength and power” to India’s efforts aimed at hindering or redirecting the water flow.
Iran
offers mediation, while
Trump
He anticipates they will resolve their disagreements. “Great tension exists between Pakistan and India, though this isn’t new,” he informs reporters traveling with him on Air Force One.
April 30
Officials in India-governed Kashmir briefly shut down numerous lodges in the picturesque Himalayan area following the fatal assault on visitors.
Soldiers from both nations have been exchanging gunfire across the Line of Control for five nights in a row now.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claims that his country possesses “reliable intelligence” indicating India plans to launch military operations against Pakistan within the coming 24 to 36 hours.
May 1
U.S. Secretary of State
Marco Rubio
makes calls to high-ranking officials in both India and Pakistan aiming to ease tensions during the crisis. A statement from U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce indicates that Rubio, during his conversation with Indian authorities, conveyed condolences regarding the deaths in Pahalgam and reiterated America’s dedication to working alongside India in combating terrorism.
Pakistan says Rubio emphasized the need for both sides to “continue working together for peace and stability” in South Asia.
May 3
Pakistan test-fires a ballistic missile with a range of 450 kilometers (about 280 miles). Missiles are not fired toward the border area with India; they are normally fired into the Arabian Sea or the deserts of the southwest Balochistan province.
India has suspended the mailing services between India and Pakistan via both air and land routes, halting all correspondence. Additionally, the country has prohibited the direct and indirect importing of products from Pakistan. India has further restricted maritime traffic by forbidding ships with Pakistani flags from docking at its harbors and preventing Indian flagged boats from reaching Pakistani shores.
May 7
India launches missiles at Pakistan, prompting Pakistan to label these attacks as an “act of war” and promising retaliation for those killed during the early morning strike.
Thirty-one individuals, among them women and children, lose their lives due to missile strikes in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and Punjab. According to India’s Defense Ministry, these attacks were aimed at a minimum of nine locations “that had been used for planning terrorist activities against India.”
Pakistan says it brought down multiple Indian warplanes.
May 8
India launches attack drones into Pakistan, resulting in the deaths of at least two civilians, according to the Pakistani military. In response, India alleges that Pakistan was planning an assault and admits to striking their adversary’s air defenses.
India has evacuated numerous individuals from villages close to the heavily fortified border in the Kashmir area. Air travel remains disrupted at more than two dozen airports throughout the northern and western parts of the country.
The Punjab province in Pakistan has announced the immediate shutdown of all schools and other educational establishments.
May 9
India halts its largest home-based cricket competition for one week due to intensifying military hostilities with Pakistan. Initially, Pakistan announces plans to shift its own domestic Twenty20 event to the United Arab Emirates as a response to the crisis; however, they later decide to merely reschedule some games instead.
Many of India’s northern and western states have closed schools and other educational facilities.
U.S. Vice President
JD Vance
suggests that a possible conflict between India and Pakistan would “not be our concern.”
The Indian military reports that drones have been spotted at 26 different sites throughout various regions along India’s borders with Pakistan and in areas under Indian control in Kashmir, which includes the principal city of Srinagar. They state these drones were monitored and confronted.
The Group of Seven countries, also known as the G7, call for “utmost restraint” from both India and Pakistan, cautioning that additional military tension could pose a significant risk to the area’s stability.
May 10
Pakistan claims that India has launched missile attacks against airbases within their territory, and counter-strikes have been initiated. According to Pakistan’s army chief spokesman, the Indian missiles struck Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi—a military hub close to Islamabad—Murid Air Base in Chakwal city, as well as Rafiqui Air Base located in the Jhang district of Punjab Province in eastern Pakistan.
Pakistan says it has fired missiles at Indian military positions.
People living in areas of Kashmir controlled by India have reported hearing intense blasts in various locations across the region, such as Srinagar, Jammu, and the military town of Udhampur.
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