Reignition of Burning Fires Along the Border: Exploring Terror, Escalation, and the Termination of Diplomatic Treaties Amidst the Ongoing Indo-Pak Conflict

War is not merely a failure of diplomacy, but a culmination of unresolved ideologies, historical trauma, fear, and a cycle of violence. Since independence, India and Pakistan have been locked in recurring military confrontations—1947, 1965, 1971, and Kargil in 1999—each conflict deepening mistrust. The April 22, 2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, claiming 28 lives, shattered Kashmir’s peace and reignited tensions. This brutal act exposed how radicalism fractures harmony, integrity and unity, diverting faith into tools of blind hatred and bigotry to justify cruelty. The article explores the military and diplomatic responses by both governments and how they further strained an already fragile geopolitical and socio-political landscape in the Indian subcontinent.

Sequences of retaliatory development in the Indian subcontinent 

Within 24 hours of the April 22, 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 28 civilian lives, New Delhi declared Pakistani military diplomats (Defence, Naval and Air Advisors) persona non grata and expelled them from the Pakistani High Commission. All Pakistani visas were suspended amid accusations that Islamabad had “crossed every red line” by sponsoring cross-border terrorism.

Simultaneously, Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), joined by Home Minister Amit Shah, EAM S. Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other senior officials. The CCS endorsed a two-pronged response: condemn Pakistan’s role in terror and prepare proportionate military retaliation under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Evidence of Pakistani Involvement

Investigations quickly linked The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, to the Pahalgam massacre. Two attackers, Ali Bhai alias Talha and Asif Fauji, were confirmed Pakistani nationals; digital forensics traced them to safe houses in Muzaffarabad. A third suspect, Hashim Moosa, emerged as a former Pakistani Special Service Group commando, suggesting direct military collusion. India presented this dossier to the UN Security Council, urging TRF’s designation as a terrorist entity.

Operation Sindoor (May 7, 2025)

At 02:00 AM IST on May 7, Indian forces launched Operation Sindoor, striking nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK with precision-guided munitions. Satellite imagery released by the Ministry of Defence confirmed the destruction of training facilities and ammunition depots. Official statements emphasized that the strikes were “focused, measured and non-escalatory,” invoking India’s right to “immediate, proportionate self-defence.” PM Modi hailed the operation as a decisive message: terrorism against Indian citizens would meet firm retaliation.

Pakistan’s Counter-Maneuver

Between May 7–9, Pakistan retaliated with an unprecedented barrage: over 600 armed drones and short-range missiles targeted Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jammu and Amritsar. India’s Air Defence Command intercepted most UAVs and missiles, though at least eight drones reached Rajasthan, causing blackouts in Jaisalmer and Barmer. Reconnaissance drones probed Pathankot and other airbases; eight ballistic missiles aimed at Jammu towns were shot down by S-400 and Akash batteries, with debris inflicting minor damage on border villages.

Indiscriminate Shelling in Civilian areas

Late on May 7, Pakistan unleashed artillery and mortar fire across the Line of Control and the International Border, striking civilian areas in Poonch and Tangdhar. Official Army figures reported 15 civilian deaths and 43 injuries—schools, markets and parks came under fire. Pre-dawn on May 8, heavy-calibre rounds struck the historic Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Poonch, killing four worshippers (including an ex-serviceman) and wounding 45 more, while reducing parts of the complex to rubble. The Ministry of External Affairs condemned these attacks as “barbaric and unjustifiable,” branding them war crimes under international law and warning of calibrated counter-fire for every violation.

Civil-Defence Measures

On May 7, amid mounting hostilities, schools and colleges across Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan border districts were ordered closed. Concurrently, the Home Ministry initiated Operation Abhyaas, a nationwide civil-defence drill in 244 districts, featuring air-raid sirens, blackout simulations, evacuation rehearsals and public training—designed to fortify civilian readiness against any further escalation.

Temporary Airspace Closures

In the wake of drone incursions on May 8, India suspended operations at 32 domestic airports until May 15 (5:29 AM IST). Pakistan, under international pressure for keeping its airspace open despite hostilities, closed its skies that same day.

Ongoing Border Skirmishes

Throughout May 8–9, Pakistani artillery and mortar units continued shelling Poonch, Rajouri and Tangdhar, disrupting daily life, damaging infrastructure, and deepening civilian suffering. India’s counter-battery fire targeted militant positions but took care to avoid escalating into full-scale war.

Ceasefire Proclamation and Breach

On May 10, U.S. President Donald Trump unexpectedly tweeted that he had brokered an immediate India–Pakistan ceasefire, despite Vice President JD Vance’s prior declaration that the conflict was “none of the United States’ business". Washington quickly clarified there was no formal agreement; India dismissed the ceasefire claim outright. News of the ceasefire was greeted with relief on both sides of the border and Pakistan's airport authority said its airspace had been fully reopened. However, subsequent violations were reported which was confirmed by a video posted by Omar Abdullah, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. He captioned on X, "What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!! This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up.” Meanwhile, the Indian Government vowed “unrelenting counter-fire” for any further breaches, and Pakistan accused India of aggression—each side trading accusations in a tumultuous narrative war.

Suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty

India suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), which allocated eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) to India and western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) to Pakistan. Delhi justified this unprecedented move by citing Pakistan’s support for cross-border terrorism. Islamabad protested, warning that millions depend on these waters. Legal analysts warn that unilateral withdrawal could violate the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties unless India can prove a “material breach”, potentially dragging the dispute before international courts.

The Pahalgam attack of April 22, 2025 triggered one of the most serious Indo-Pak escalations in decades. New Delhi’s swift diplomatic reprisals and Operation Sindoor was a predecessor to the subsequent drone and missile barrages, coupled with indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas and places of worship, by Pakistani forces generating a grave humanitarian crisis drawing international condemnation. The exasperating suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty represented an unprecedented rupture in bilateral cooperation. Together, these developments illustrate a dangerously frayed theatre of geopolitics on the subcontinent: any spark has the potential to set off a blaze.

Sritama Chakrabortty is a student pursuing Law from Jamia Millia Islamia.

Edited by: Sharmeen Shah

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of The Jamia Review or its members.