Kashmir. Sparking a nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan

A deadly attack in the Pahalgam region of Kashmir has left a number of people dead, reviving the decades-old conflict between India and Pakistan and threatening a fourth war between the two countries after three previous wars that began in 1947, the last major confrontation in 1999, and a deadly bombing in 2019 that killed 40 Indian soldiers.

The latest attack was the deadliest against civilians since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. New Delhi has accused Pakistan of supporting militant groups operating in Kashmir, prompting India to close the land crossing with Pakistan and suspend the Indus Water Treaty.

For its part, Islamabad accused India of "sowing chaos" on the eastern border, followed by heavy Pakistani overflights near the Line of Control, in an indication of possible military action, culminating in statements by Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif who did not rule out the conflict evolving into a "nuclear war."

The crisis between the two countries also escalated at the diplomatic level with the mutual expulsion of diplomats, the closure of border crossings and airspace, and the suspension of trade.

Since the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947, Kashmir remains a permanent focus of conflict, fueled by religious tensions, heavy militarization and the absence of any prospects for a final solution. The region has witnessed sharp transformations, most notably the revocation of Kashmir's autonomy in 2019, with a tightened security grip and the arrest of thousands, amid calls for an international referendum on its fate.