SYDNEY/ISLAMABAD: The Global Peace Index 2025 has classified the Kashmir dispute as one of the world’s most dangerous nuclear flashpoints, warning of a potential full-scale war between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan.
According to the Kashmir Media Service (KMS), the report attributes growing instability in the region to India’s heavy militarization of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and its controversial policies, including the revocation of Article 370 in 2019. Since 1989, thousands of Kashmiris have been killed in state violence, the report notes.
India has deployed nearly 500,000 troops in IIOJK, making it the most militarized region in the world. In contrast, Pakistan maintains a comparatively modest force of 60,000 troops along the Line of Control in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), reflecting a stark difference in approach.
The report specifically references India’s unprovoked missile strike on Pakistan in May 2025, following the Pahalgam incident, as a “reckless act of militarism” with the potential to spiral into a catastrophic conflict. Although this event falls outside the GPI 2025’s data collection window, it will be included in the 2026 index.
Critically, the report notes the global community’s refusal to adopt India’s narrative by referring to the April 22 Pahalgam assailants as “gunmen” rather than terrorists—a significant diplomatic signal.
Mounting Tensions and Militarized Governance
The GPI notes that since the revocation of Kashmir’s special status in August 2019, India has intensified crackdowns, imposed communication blackouts, and ramped up arrests. The size of IIOJK’s police force has swelled to 130,000, compared to peaceful AJK, which shows no signs of excessive militarization.
The report underscores the growing domestic risks within India as well, warning that prolonged escalation may lead to anti-Muslim violence, political unrest, and destabilization across South Asia.
