Kashmir is not India’s internal matter but a disputed international issue
US leadership’s offer of mediation highlights global significance of the dispute
Islamabad: Kashmir is not India’s internal matter but a long-standing unresolved international dispute and the most volatile nuclear flashpoint in South Asia.
According to Kashmir Media Service, political analysts and experts say that the Kashmir issue is an old dispute rooted in UN resolutions and linked to the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people. They argue that the issue carries the potential risk of a nuclear conflict between two nuclear-armed states.
Following the April 22, 2025 Pahalgam incident, in which 26 tourists were killed, India without presenting any credible evidence accused Pakistan, leading to heightened tensions. India also launched strikes on civilian infrastructure inside Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). Subsequently, on May 10, 2025, Pakistan launched a retaliatory action under Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos. The operation targeted more than 20 Indian military sites, including the BrahMos missile depot at Beas, and damaged airbases in Udhampur, Pathankot, and Jalandhar—and resulted in 20 Indian soldiers killed in Srinagar, exposing the fragility of India’s security posture.
At the May 5, 2025 United Nations Security Council meeting, all five permanent members supported Pakistan’s call for an independent investigation, UN mediation, and diplomatic restraint. China backed Pakistan’s position, Russia offered mediation, while no member directly blamed Islamabad. International bodies, including the United Nations, the OIC, and Human Rights Watch, also called for transparency and independent inquiry, rejecting India’s claims as a potential false flag to justify breaching the Indus Waters Treaty.
India’s “new normal” doctrine, articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 12, 2025 after Operation Sindoor, represents a dangerous shift. It asserts “zero tolerance” for “terrorism”, swift conventional retaliation against alleged cross-border threats, and a declared intent to resist “nuclear blackmail.” Critics argue that this approach normalizes deliberate escalation below the nuclear threshold, challenges strategic deterrence, and increases the risk of miscalculation in an already volatile region. Think tanks, including CISS, have warned that such policies could destabilize nuclear deterrence in South Asia and heighten the risk of future crises.
Such recklessness, analysts argue, pose a serious threat to regional and international peace. By reshaping escalation dynamics and relying heavily on conventional military responses, India’s doctrine is seen as increasing the risk of rapid escalation from localized incidents into broader conflicts with global implications.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly highlighted the sensitivity of the Kashmir issue, offering mediation multiple times since May 2025 and describing it as a “generational dispute” that requires international engagement. He has also claimed credit for facilitating the May 10, 2025 ceasefire.
Mediation offers from countries such as Iran and Saudi Arabia have also emerged, while US diplomatic engagement has further underscored the global concern over the situation. Despite this, Indian leadership continues to term Kashmir a bilateral issue and rejects international mediation.
Ignoring Pakistan’s nuclear capability, India’s “new normal” doctrine, which downplays nuclear escalation risks through unchecked conventional strikes, is seen as directly threatening international peace by destabilizing regional deterrence. Analysts warn that this strategy could undermine stability in South Asia and further escalate tensions, posing a serious risk to global peace by disturbing the existing balance and turning even minor conflicts into major confrontations.
The world, observers argue, cannot ignore UN resolutions or Kashmiri suffering; India’s approach risks turning Kashmir into a crisis far worse than past escalations. Pakistan’s response and international support, they maintain, underscore the need for justice, self-determination, and nuclear stability over India’s unilateral actions and denial.
Overall, observers emphasize that lasting peace in the region depends on diplomatic engagement, adherence to international resolutions, and restraint from escalatory policies that could destabilize an already fragile balance.
