Tensions Spike Between India and Pakistan Amid Kashmir Attack
Pakistan executes a missile test amid escalating tensions with India.
In the wake of the devastating militant attack in Kashmir on April 22, 2025, the animosity between India and Pakistan has escalated, as both countries beef up their military forces, impose economic restrictions, and intensify diplomatic confrontations.
The latest development in this escalating situation is Pakistan's surfacing of the long-range Abdali missile, a test designed to validate operational readiness and crucial technical parameters, according to a statement from Pakistan's military media wing on Satuday. The exercise aimed to test the missile's navigation system and maneuverability features.
Indian officials, however, have branded the missile test as a provocative move that could worsen tensions between the two nations. New Delhi alleges that Pakistan has been behind the Kashmir attack and has continued to fire small arms across the contested border. Furthermore, Pakistan has issued naval warnings, conducted military drills in the Arabian Sea, and communicated possible retaliation if India inaugurates military action.
The two nuclear-armed neighbours have exchanged aggressive maneuvers and economic sanctions following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vow to punish those responsible for the attack. While India has accused Pakistan of complicity in the assault, Islamabad insists it has no connection to the incident and has threatened to respond if India takes military action. The United States has called for de-escalation to prevent further regional conflict.
In light of the Kashmir attack, India has imposed several punitive measures against Pakistan, including the immediate prohibition of all goods imports originating from or transiting through Pakistan. Additionally, Indian ships with the Pakistan flag were forbidden from visiting Indian ports. Meanwhile, the Directory General of Shipping declared that no ship under the Indian flag shall dock in Pakistan.
Bilateral trade between India and Pakistan has been decreasing steadily over the last few years, with Indian imports from Pakistan dropping significantly, from $2.86 million in April 2024 - January 2025 to just $420,000 during the same period in 2025. Exports to Pakistan also showed a sharp decline, down to $447.7 million from $1.1 billion in the previous year.
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar reiterated this week that the attack's perpetrators, backers, and planners must face justice. The U.S., represented by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has consistently urged both South Asian nations to defuse the situation.
The ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan pose a risk of escalating into direct conflict with fewer resources available to contain the crisis, as compared to previous standoffs. Finger-pointing and tit-for-tat measures suggest a tense and precarious situation between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
- The Pakistani officials warned that the recently tested Abdali missile was not a provocation but a measure to validate its readiness and technical parameters.
- The increasing military actions, economic restrictions, and diplomatic confrontations between India and Pakistan have raised concerns in war-and-conflicts, politics, and general news discussions about the potential for forcing a war.
- General news outlets are closely monitoring the ongoing dispute between India and Pakistan, as the tensions serve as a reminder of the volatile relationship between the two neighbors and the potential for political instability in the region.
- The missile testing, despite its intended purpose, has added fuel to the already tense situation between India and Pakistan, making the validation of peace talks increasingly crucial in preventing the worsening of war-and-conflicts.
