India and Pakistan Are At the Brink of All Out War Over Indian Attack on Kashmir

May 6, 2025: India and Pakistan are not officially at war, but tensions are extremely high, and military actions have occurred, bringing the two nations to the brink of conflict. Here's a detailed breakdown:

Recent Military Actions

On May 7, 2025, India conducted a significant military operation named Operation Sindoor, where the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force jointly carried out missile strikes on nine terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). This was in retaliation for the April 22, 2025, terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, which killed 26 people, mostly civilians, and was attributed to Pakistan-backed terrorists, specifically The Resistance Front, a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba (web ID: 0, NDTV).

The strikes targeted locations like Bahawalpur, a stronghold of the Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit, and were executed at 1:44 AM on May 7, 2025. This marked the first tri-services operation against Pakistan since the 1971 war (web ID: 0, NDTV).

Pakistan's Response

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the strikes, calling them an "act of war" and asserting Pakistan's right to respond "forcefully." Reports indicate that Pakistan has already begun a "forceful response," though specifics of their actions are not detailed in the available data (web ID: 0, NDTV).

Pakistan has also sought international support, raising the issue at a closed-door UN Security Council meeting, though the global community largely condemned the Pahalgam attack and backed India (web ID: 1, NDTV).

Escalating Tensions

The Pahalgam attack, the worst terrorist incident in India since the 2019 Pulwama attack, has significantly escalated tensions. India has blamed Pakistan for sponsoring terrorism, a recurring point of contention (web ID: 1, NDTV).

India has also threatened to disrupt the flow of the Indus River system into Pakistan, a step never taken before, even during past wars. The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) governs water sharing, and its potential suspension could severely impact Pakistan, where the Indus and its tributaries irrigate 80% of farmland (web ID: 1, NDTV; web ID: 2, The New York Times).

High-level meetings in India, including one between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on May 6, 2025, indicate serious consideration of further military action (web ID: 1, NDTV).

Historical Context and Military Preparedness

India-Pakistan relations have been fraught since their 1947 partition, with conflicts over Kashmir and cross-border terrorism keeping the border heavily militarized (web ID: 3, Wikipedia).

India's military has been undergoing modernization since the 2019 Pulwama attack and the subsequent downing of an Indian jet by Pakistan, which exposed vulnerabilities. Prime Minister Modi has invested heavily in upgrading the military, but concerns remain about its readiness for a full-scale conflict (web ID: 2, The New York Times).

Are They at War?

Technically, no, as neither country has formally declared war as of May 6, 2025. However, the situation is volatile:

India's strikes on Pakistani soil and PoK are a significant escalation, and Pakistan's promise of a "forceful response" suggests potential for further military engagement.

The use of all three branches of India's armed forces in a coordinated attack is unprecedented since 1971, signaling a major shift in India's approach to Pakistan-backed terrorism.

Historical precedents, like the 2019 Balakot airstrikes following Pulwama, show that such actions can lead to tit-for-tat military exchanges, though they stopped short of full-scale war.

Current Situation (as of May 6, 2025)

The strikes occurred just hours ago (early May 7, 2025), so the full scope of Pakistan's response is still unfolding. Given Sharif's statement and Pakistan's history of retaliatory actions, further escalation is likely.

International attention is focused on the region, with the UN Security Council already involved, though global support leans toward India due to the terrorist nature of the Pahalgam attack (web ID: 1, NDTV).

Civilian impacts are already evident, with airlines like IndiGo issuing advisories to check flight statuses due to the heightened tensions (web ID: 0, NDTV).

Conclusion

India and Pakistan are not formally at war as of May 6, 2025, but the situation is dangerously close to one. India's military strikes on Pakistani territory, Pakistan's vow to retaliate, and additional pressure points like the potential disruption of the Indus River system indicate a high risk of further conflict. The coming days will be critical in determining whether this escalates into a full-scale war or de-escalates through diplomatic intervention.