On May 5, 2025, the United Nations Security Council convened for a closed-door emergency session following a sharp rise in tensions between India and Pakistan after the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The attack, which left 26 civilians dead, including foreign tourists, has been widely condemned and has reignited international fears of regional instability.
India holds Pakistan responsible, citing evidence allegedly linking the attackers to cross-border terror networks supported by Pakistan’s intelligence services. Pakistan has dismissed these claims and requested an impartial UN investigation. As both nations expelled diplomats, suspended key treaties, and engaged in fresh skirmishes along the Line of Control, the UNSC saw the need to intervene diplomatically.
Inside the meeting, the Council discussed the risk of nuclear escalation, with members like the United States and China pressing both nations to step back from the brink. Proposals included reactivation of the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) and a UN-facilitated hotline between New Delhi and Islamabad to manage sudden military escalations.
UN peace and security officials briefed the Council, warning that the situation bears resemblance to past standoffs, such as the 2019 Pulwama-Balakot crisis. Despite closed consultations yielding no formal resolution, a majority of members urged continued UN monitoring and encouraged bilateral talks.
This session marks the strongest UN engagement on South Asia since 2020, with the Council aiming to prevent another crisis from drawing in wider powers and disrupting global peace efforts. The diplomatic community now watches closely for signs of escalation—or de-escalation—in the subcontinent.
