India–Pakistan & Kashmir: latest news and tension level

Background

India and Pakistan have disputed Kashmir since their independence in 1947 and have fought several wars and conflicts over it, most recently the 1999 Kargil conflict. The de facto border in Kashmir, the Line of Control, is one of the world's most militarised. Both countries have been nuclear-armed since 1998.

In May 2025, after a militant attack on tourists at Pahalgam in April, India launched missile strikes on targets in Pakistan in what it called Operation Sindoor. Several days of strikes and counter-strikes followed before both sides agreed a ceasefire.

Written by the Covert Horizon editor. Last reviewed October 2026.