India-Pakistan Tensions Escalate After Deadly Terror Attack in Pahalgam

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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had a conversation with his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth, on Thursday. This discussion happened after tensions grew with Pakistan following a terrible terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22 that killed 26 people.

The Pakistan military is building up forces near the Indian border and has moved air defense and artillery units closer to the front lines. The Directors General of Military Operations from both countries spoke on a hotline to talk about Pakistan’s ceasefire breaches. India warned Pakistan to stop these unprovoked attacks.

The Indian Army responded quickly to small arms fire from Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. This included a response during the night of April 27-28 in the Kupwara and Poonch districts.

On Wednesday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke with US Senator Marco Rubio about the recent attack. Jaishankar emphasized that those responsible for the attack must be held accountable. Rubio expressed his condolences for the victims and supported India’s fight against terrorism while encouraging India and Pakistan to ease tensions.

India has taken several actions against Pakistan, including pausing the Indus Water Treaty and closing the Integrated Check Post at Attari, as a response to the attack.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, military chiefs, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to discuss India’s strategy. Modi stressed the importance of taking strong action against terrorism and assured full support to the Indian Armed Forces in responding to the threats.