The recent India-Pakistan conflict in May 2025 was triggered by a terrorist attack on April 22, 2025, in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, where 26 Hindu tourists were killed. India blamed Pakistani nationals and Islamabad for backing the attackers, while Pakistan denied involvement and called for an independent investigation, reported SCMP.

The attack led to a four-day military conflict, the worst between the two nuclear-armed neighbours in almost 30 years.

On May 7, India launched "Operation Sindoor," conducting missile and air strikes targeting nine sites across Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir and Pakistan's Punjab province, aimed at degrading Pakistan's military capabilities and terror infrastructure.

Pakistan retaliated with cross-border shelling, air strikes, and cyberattacks, escalating hostilities with damage on both sides, including air bases and military logistics facilities. The conflict involved fighter jets, missiles, drones, and led to dozens of casualties on both sides.

The fighting ended in a ceasefire after four days. US President Donald Trump claimed he brokered the truce and pressured Pakistan into it, a claim strongly rejected by India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Singh stated in a parliamentary discussion that India halted its operation because all its political and military objectives had been fully achieved, and that India did not concede to any pressure to end the conflict. He called Trump's claim "baseless and entirely incorrect," emphasizing that Delhi and Islamabad agreed between themselves to cease fighting.

The conflict highlighted persistent tensions over Kashmir, a disputed Himalayan region both India and Pakistan claim in full but administer in part. India accuses Pakistan of supporting Islamist terrorists in Kashmir; Pakistan denies supporting terrorism and claims to provide only diplomatic and moral support for Kashmiri self-determination.

Domestically in India, opposition parties criticized the government, disputing intelligence lapses before the April attack and questioning the secrecy around military losses during the conflict. They also expressed scepticism towards the narrative that the conflict ended due to external diplomatic pressure.

The May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict was triggered by the Pahalgam terror attack and saw significant military escalations before India declared its objectives met and ceased operations. The Indian government denies any external influence, including US mediation, in ending the fighting.

Based On SCMP Report