INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
TEHRAN - The sporadic military clashes between India and Pakistan may lead to a full-fledged war between the two nuclear-armed neighbors
In the terrorist attack, 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, were killed
security, has caused international concern.In the early hours of Wednesday, India launched "Operation Sindoor", a series of targeted missile
The strikes led to 26 deaths in Pakistan
India emphasized that the strikes were "focused, measured, and non-escalatory," deliberately avoiding Pakistani military installations to
restrain escalation.Pakistan claimed to have shot down five Indian Air Force jets during the exchanges and reported civilian casualties,
strikes, with residents seeking shelter amid explosions
Srinagar airport in Indian-administered Kashmir has been closed to civilian flights, and commercial airlines are avoiding Pakistani
airspace, reflecting heightened regional alertness.Global diplomatic reactionsInternational response to the incident has been immediate
The UN Security Council met urgently to call for maximum restraint from both sides
The United States and China, which have their own special connections to India and Pakistan, are calling for urgent dialogue
Russia has offered to mediate in light of its historic defense ties to India
worry about the consequences of conflict in a region where tensions are already high
Iran has even sent its foreign minister to Pakistan and India to de-escalate the situation.However, Israel is fanning the flames by publicly
rising tensions, if they lead to a prolonged conflict between India and Pakistan, could reignite other problematic flashpoints i.e., Taiwan,
the Korean Peninsula or the Eastern Mediterranean because they highlight how quickly regional flashpoints can escalate into an international
disaster without any substantive response from the global community.Immediate economic disruptionsSignificant economic volatility has been
brought on by the conflict, particularly for Pakistan
The Karachi Stock Exchange fell 2,000 points in a matter of hours after India launched strikes, indicating investor panic
India's markets were resilient at first, but a protracted conflict could undo recent gains
Even minor military conflicts cost India and Pakistan about $1.8 billion and $1.2 billion, respectively, in capital flight and currency
clash threatens to destabilize South Asia, a region of over 1.8 billion people and critical global economic corridors
The conflict risks disrupting international trade routes and energy supplies, potentially impacting global commodity prices, especially
Due to supply chain disruptions, refugee flows, and investor uncertainty, the conflict's economic effects may extend beyond the region and
conflict disrupts civilian life, threatens regional peace, and imposes heavy fiscal burdens on both nations, particularly Pakistan
Global calls for restraint underscore the urgent need for diplomatic engagement to prevent further deterioration and to safeguard economic
and security interests in South Asia.
This article first appeared/also appeared in Tehran Times
