A Tense Peace Between India and Pakistan

A Preventable Crisis and the World on Edge

The wreckage of an Indian warplane shot down over Pakistani territory (AFP)

According to recent reporting from the Washington Post, India and Pakistan are adhering to a temporary ceasefire that was announced on May 11th. While social media users continue to report isolated explosions and air raid siren activations along the border of both countries, there is no indication at this time that either party intends to resume fighting. Given that both the Indian and Pakistani governments maintain their current military posturing and are presenting this spring’s skirmishes as grand victories for their respective militaries, we can assume that neither country will unilaterally stand down and demobilize - meaning that the current peace between both states is tenuous at best.

The recent fighting between India and Pakistan included heavy usage of air-launched standoff munitions, ballistic missiles, and long-range loitering munitions. While infantry, armor, and mechanized formations were present al…