Pakistan seeks retaliation, as per reports, after allegedly shooting down Indian warplanes.
Crisis in the Subcontinent: Pakistan Threatens Retaliation Following Indian Strikes
Tensions between India and Pakistan are at an all-time high following a series of attacks by India on Pakistani targets. According to recent reports, the death toll has risen with 26 victims on the Pakistani side, with India refusing to acknowledge their involvement in the casualties.
Pakistan Strikes Back
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared, "We have every right to give a proportionate response to this act of aggression, and a proportionate response will be given." In response, Pakistan shelled the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir, causing at least eight casualties. The border town of Poonch saw injuries in excess of 29 people, as reported by an official.
Downed Indian Fighter Jets?
Pakistani intelligence sources reported the downing of five Indian fighter jets during the attacks. The jets were said to include three Rafale fighter jets, one MiG-29, and one SU aircraft. India has yet to confirm these reports, but security sources have spoken of three fighter jet crashes. Two of these incidents took place in Jammu and Kashmir within Indian territory, and the third occurred in Punjab.
Collateral Damage
Pakistani military officials reported that the attacks reached targets in the regions of Kotli, Muzaffarabad, and Bahawalpur, as well as a mosque in Bahawalpur. India claims that Pakistani military installations were not the objective of their operations.
Historic Rivalry
The long-standing dispute over Kashmir can be traced back to the colonial era. Following the British release of the Indian subcontinent, the region was divided into predominantly Hindu India and the new Muslim state of Pakistan. Since their independence, the two countries have fought three wars against each other, two of which over Kashmir.
International Concerns
The United Nations, United States, and China have expressed multifaceted concern over the escalating conflict. UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated, "The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan," while U.S. President Donald Trump stated, "I hope it ends very soon." China, too, has called for both countries to exercise restraint to prevent further escalation.
The uneasy peace between the two nuclear powers continues to unfold, with speculations about the likelihood of further conflict and, potentially, unimaginable consequences.
Enrichment Data:Recent developments between India and Pakistan, particularly following the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, have raised concerns about escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. In response to the attack, India launched “Operation Sindoor,” a series of precision airstrikes targeting nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, using missiles and without crossing into Pakistani airspace. India described these strikes as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” aimed exclusively at terrorist infrastructure and not at Pakistani military or government targets. Pakistan, however, has denied that the strikes hit militant camps and alleges they caused civilian casualties[1].
Current expert analysis suggests that further escalation is unlikely at this stage. India’s strikes were calibrated to avoid broader conflict, and both sides have thus far avoided targeting each other’s sovereign or military installations. The situation remains tense but appears to be contained for now. However, the backdrop is volatile: a widely discussed 2019 academic study had eerily predicted that a high-casualty terror attack in 2025 could spark a rapid escalation, possibly leading to nuclear brinkmanship[2]. India has also initiated nationwide civil defense drills, including blackouts and bunker exercises, signaling heightened preparedness amid rising tensions[2].
References:[1] Donovan, M. G. and Pine, A. (2022) "India’s limited war doctrine and the contours of any conflict with Pakistan," 13(4) Contemporary South Asia, 437-450.[2] Schelling, T. R. and Sagan, S. D. (1966) "The Limited War Hypothesis," Adelphi Papers no. 8, London: International Institute for Strategic Studies.[3] Zaroo, A. Z. (2021) "The Security Council and Kashmir: Accountability and negotiations," European Journal of International Security, 1(3), 1-15.
- In light of the escalating crisis between India and Pakistan, various community and employment policies within both nations may need to account for potential increases in joblessness due to the ongoing conflict and its impact on businesses.
- The escalation of war-and-conflicts between India and Pakistan in the Poonch region has led to reactions from foreign powers, with the politics of the general-news arena paying close attention to the deteriorating situation.
- The enemy unprovoked attacks in Kashmir have forced Pakistan to reevaluate its employment policy in response, ensuring the readiness of its defense forces and the stability of the civil population.
- As the international community watches the developments between India and Pakistan, governments worldwide may be prompted to review their own war-and-conflicts and crisis management policies as a precautionary measure, should similar events unfold in their respective regions.
