The long-standing conflict between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir region, which began after the partition of British India in 1947, has seen multiple wars and continuous tensions. The dispute initially arose due to Kashmir's undecided status, leading to military confrontations and a series of cease-fires, with a temporary line of control being established. Over the decades, periodic outbreaks of violence, including insurgencies and wars in 1965, 1972, and 1999, have kept the region volatile. In 2019, India revoked Kashmir's autonomy, intensifying local unrest and sparking international concern. The recent deadly terrorist attack on April 22, 2025, has further escalated tensions, with India accusing Pakistan of involvement, bringing the two nuclear-armed nations close to military confrontation once again.

The Kashmir conflict began in 1947 when Britain divided India into two countries, leaving Kashmir's fate undecided. The Hindu ruler of Kashmir opted to join India for security reasons, leading to the first war between India and Pakistan over the region.

In 1949, a United Nations-brokered cease-fire resulted in a temporary division of Kashmir, with India controlling two-thirds and Pakistan the remaining third, though tensions and occasional skirmishes persisted.

The second Indo-Pakistani war erupted in 1965 after Pakistan's covert offensive across the cease-fire line, only to be quickly settled in 1966 with an agreement to resolve disputes peacefully, a peace that was short-lived.

The 1972 Simla Agreement formalized the line of control as the de facto border, though it did not resolve the underlying dispute, and insurgency in Kashmir intensified in the late 1980s with Pakistan's support.

Efforts for peace in 1999 were thwarted by a brief war sparked by Pakistani infiltrators in Kashmir, leading to further distrust despite initial diplomatic overtures.

India's revocation of Kashmir's autonomy in 2019, accompanied by a heavy military presence and communication blackout, aimed to integrate Kashmir more closely with India, but it led to widespread criticism and unrest.

The April 2025 terrorist attack, one of the deadliest on Indian civilians in decades, has reignited tensions, with India accusing Pakistan of complicity, while Pakistan denies involvement, raising the specter of military conflict.