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India and Pakistan rock the world: nuclear powers on the brink of conflict

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Military escalation between missiles and drones, closed airspace and cross-threats. US urges de-escalation

India and Pakistan make the world tremble: determined to go on clashing, fears grow that the two nuclear powers may cross a border with no return. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called an emergency meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA) amid the escalation with New Delhi. The body, which handles nuclear arms control, is expected to meet today, according to Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

Meanwhile, Pakistan announced the complete closure of its airspace, while India suspended operations at 32 airports in the north and west until 14 May. The escalation reached a new peak this morning when Islamabad claimed the destruction of an Indian S-400 air defence system in Adampur, Punjab, in a counter-attack with hypersonic missiles. This version was not confirmed by official Indian sources, who instead spoke of ‘no damage’ according to The Indian Express.

Pakistan claimed to have responded to Indian attacks against three military bases on its territory, which were foiled without casualties. ‘We will defend every inch of our territory,’ said the government in Islamabad, claiming a counter-offensive to protect airspace and national security. Pakistani media speak of more Indian military targets being hit, but no confirmation comes from New Delhi.

On the diplomatic level, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with Pakistani army chief Asim Munir, and phone calls with the foreign ministers of the two countries, urging both sides to reopen direct communication to avoid ‘miscalculations’ and offering US mediation to facilitate a de-escalation.

But Islamabad does not back down: ‘No de-escalation. We will respond at the appropriate time to the damage done,’ Pakistan Armed Forces spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told a press conference. ‘With the damage that India has caused us, they are the ones who should pay for it’.

Tensions exploded after the 22 April attack in Pahalgam, Indian Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives. India launched targeted attacks on targets in Pakistan in the following days, claiming that the jihadist group ‘Resistance Front’, allegedly linked to Islamabad, was responsible. The accusation was emphatically rejected by the Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman, Shafqat Ali Jan, who spoke of ‘irresponsible behaviour’ on the Indian side, reiterating that ‘no credible evidence has been provided’.

Islamabad also denounced the destruction of mosques, damage to civilian infrastructure such as the Neelum-Jhelum hydroelectric dam, and the political use of water management. ‘India presents itself as a victim, but ignores its own role in facilitating terrorism in Pakistan,’ Jan said.

According to Indian Defence Ministry sources, Pakistan reportedly launched new drone attacks on the New Delhi-administered region of Kashmir, also striking the town of Jammu. Drones were also reportedly sighted in Samba and Pathankot in Punjab. Some of them were reportedly shot down, the ministry reported, referring to an ‘unacceptable continued escalation that threatens India’s sovereignty’.

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