Expert in B.C. says India-Pakistan tension at highest point since 1999

VANCOUVER – A British Columbia researcher in South Asian affairs says concerns about the current India and Pakistan tensions are justified, given that the region has not seen a conflict this intense in more than 25 years.

M.V. Ramana, professor at the University of B.C.’s school of public policy and global affairs, says the last time there was a realistic risk of nuclear weapons being used was a conflict between the two sides in the Kargil region of Kashmir in 1999. 

Ramana says the difference between then and now is that in 1999 the United States brokered an end to hostilities, but the current White House administration has not shown similar diplomatic priorities. 

He says the growth of social media has also added to his level of concern, as it makes it harder for governments to take less forceful responses given the nationalistic emotions behind conflict.

India launched missile strikes into Pakistani-administered areas earlier this week that killed 31 people in what it said was retaliation for an April attack on Indian Hindu tourists in India-controlled Kashmir. 

Tensions have continued since the missile strikes, with Pakistan saying it has shot down several drones, while India says it has “neutralized” Pakistani attempts to hit military targets. 

Not all of the claims by both sides have been verified.

– With files from The Associated Press

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2025.