This morning’s retaliatory strikes by Pakistan, following cross-border action by India, have gone a long way toward re-establishing strategic deterrence between the rival states. The time has now come to work toward peace.
Since India targeted various cities in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, the subcontinent has teetered on the edge of a conflict that neither side can afford, not least because of the dozens of civilian casualties already suffered by both sides. This cycle of provocation and reprisal must now end.
Despite both nations claiming to have established deterrence, the logic of escalation is unforgiving. Each strike increases the risk of miscalculation, particularly when both are nuclear powers. Encouragingly, diplomatic efforts to restore peace have begun to intensify.
China and the United States, both of whom have strategic and economic interests in the region, are reportedly ramping up pressure on Delhi and Islamabad to de-escalate and resolve the situation through dialogue. Washington has also offered to facilitate backchannel communication. Several other countries, including Saudi Arabia and the Group of 7 have similarly emphasized the need for a détente.
These efforts must not be squandered. The recent history of conflicts between Pakistan and India—the Kargil War, the 2001–02 standoff, and the Balakot crisis in 2019—serves as stark reminder of how quickly conflict can escalate. Yet those same episodes also remind us that diplomatic engagement, however belated, is always possible and necessary to chart a way forward.
Both sides must now recognize that the costs of further escalation far outweigh any perceived short-term gains. Sustained hostility will only deepen insecurity, stall economic growth, and increase the suffering of both nations’ ordinary citizens. The presence of nuclear weapons alone cannot ensure peace; rather, they demand responsibility and vision.
Having established “separate” wins against each other during this standoff, Islamabad and Delhi now have the opportunity to de-escalate. The alternative is a prolonged confrontation that serves neither national interest nor regional stability.
The world, and the residents of both countries, are watching. South Asia does not need another war; it needs leadership, courage, and a commitment to peace. Rather than finding new ways to prolong the conflict, India and Pakistan must commit to returning to dialogue and prioritize diplomacy over destruction. The future depends on it.