Who Really Won the Pakistan-India Clash?
Shazia Mehboob Tanoli
Islamabad: As the echoes of gunfire fade and the smoke of missiles clears, one question lingers: who truly emerged victorious from the recent military clash between Pakistan and India?
The Indus Waters Treaty, which India had suspended in response to the Pahalgam attack, remains suspended—what does this mean for the region?
And what fate awaits the longstanding Kashmir dispute, which has once again become a central point of international attention?
While citizens on both sides of the border erupted in nationalist fervor, the reality is that this was not a conventional victory for either side. Instead, it was a battle where a smaller army took on a much larger military force and, in many ways, gained an edge. While Pakistan may rightfully celebrate its strategic and tactical successes, India’s own celebrations raise questions about the reasoning behind them.
The conflict, despite inflicting damage on both nations, ultimately brought gains—tactical, strategic, and crucially, diplomatic—for Pakistan.
So, how did this confrontation unfold? Let’s examine the key events that followed Pakistan’s preemptive strikes.
The initial spark came on April 22, when a deadly terrorist attack in Indian-held Kashmir triggered swift blame from India, accusing Pakistan of state-sponsored terrorism. In response, India suspended its obligations under the Indus Waters Treaty an agreement brokered by the World Bank.
While the global community largely sided with India, condemning Pakistan without providing concrete evidence, Pakistan found itself once again battling not just a narrative, but a deeply ingrained international perception shaped by its turbulent past and fragile diplomatic standing.
To make matters worse, India’s unilateral suspension of the treaty, which affects over 240 million people in Pakistan, went largely unchallenged by the international community. Despite Pakistan’s warnings of regional instability, no international body or stakeholder questioned India’s move, further exacerbating Pakistan’s diplomatic isolation.
However, in a moment of calculated defiance, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan-al-un-Marsoos, a bold counteroffensive signaling a significant shift in its military posture. The operation, named after an unbreakable wall, was not just a military response; it was a clear message to the world.
In retaliation for India’s second strike on Pakistan’s air bases, Pakistani forces targeted key Indian airfields and missile storage sites with its domestically produced Fatah missiles. Critical assets in Beas, Pathankot, and other northern Indian bases were reportedly hit hard.
Pakistan’s military response was not a mere show of force; it was a demonstration of strategic capability, readiness, and resolve—a message that Pakistan’s military is not to be underestimated.
In contrast to India’s claims of minimal losses, it was Pakistan’s unwavering stance that prompted India to call for de-escalation. Ceasefire agreements followed, and international actors—including the United States—stepped in to contain the fallout. The shift in India’s stance, despite its initial claims of no substantial damage, raises a critical question: if India did not suffer a defeat, why the rush to negotiate?
Read More: https://thepenpk.com/ceasefire-or-countdown-the-fragile-india-pakistan-truce/
More significantly, this confrontation once again brought the Kashmir issue to the global forefront. Since India’s revocation of Article 370 in 2019, the Kashmir conflict had largely disappeared from international discourse. However, in the wake of missile exchanges and high-stakes nuclear posturing, even US President Trump felt compelled to call for renewed dialogue on Kashmir.
While India remains a crucial economic partner for global powers, it is Pakistan that has managed, for the first time in years, to shift the global narrative. Pakistan is no longer merely viewed through the lens of terrorism; it is now seen as a military force with strategic patience, calculated resolve, and the ability to challenge the status quo.
May 10, 2025, will likely be remembered not just for calculated resolve but as the day Pakistan’s military disrupted a long-standing narrative and forced the world to confront the unresolved, dangerous status of Kashmir. The region, which India has long regarded as a domestic issue, has now been thrust back into the global spotlight as a potential nuclear flashpoint.
This shift in perception, while still in its infancy, represents more than a military triumph. It opens a diplomatic window—one that Pakistan must now navigate carefully. The real challenge will be leveraging this newfound recognition to alter its economic trajectory, improve regional alliances, and secure long-term peace.
Ultimately, history may not change through grand declarations but through the quiet yet decisive demonstrations of power. Whether Pakistan can capitalize on this moment and forge a path toward stability and prosperity remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the world is paying attention, and for the first time in years, Pakistan has forced the global community to reevaluate its place in the region.
Shazia Mehboob is a PhD scholar and a visiting faculty member. She is also a freelance journalist and the founder of The PenPK.com. She tweets @thepenpk.
