Webinar recording: India Pakistan Conflict Over Kashmir: A Persistent Nuclear Threat

An attack on Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir on 22 April 2025 resulted in the death of 26 people, and led to five days of military clashes between India and Pakistan before a fragile ceasefire was established on 10 May. Sad to say, this fragile ceasefire is unlikely to see an end to the 80-year conflict between these two South Asian neighbours.

The roots of India-Pakistan hostilities lie in the post-colonial partition of 1947. By the end of the 1990s, however, both India and Pakistan had become nuclear weapons states with enough warheads to lay waste to South Asia. 

Achin Vanaik

‘South Asia is the only part of the world where there are two nuclear armed countries with an 80-year history of continuous hot-cold wars that show no signs of ending.’

Murad Qureshi

‘The Kashmir conflict casts a long shadow over South Asia. Opinions on the likelihood of nuclear conflict vary, but that potential is ever present.’

The webinar drew on the regional knowledge and commitment to peace and justice of Achin Vanaik and Murad Qureshi to promote an in-depth discussion – ranging from the issues and implications of the recent clash, to the centrality of a nuclear-free South Asia in establishing a lasting peace in the region. London CND Chair, Carol Turner, was the discussion moderator.

Achin Vanaik is an active member of the Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (India) and a co-recipient of the 2000 Sean McBride International Peace Prize. He is a Fellow of the Trinational Institute with a long and impressive list of publications to his name. Achin is a retired Professor of International Relations, and former Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Delhi. Read Achin’s article in The Wire, Britain Returns Chagos, But Shadow of Nuclear Ambiguity Over Diego Garcia Remains.

Murad Qureshi, whose family hails from Bangladesh, was born and brought up in Britain and maintains a keen interest in South Asia. He is a Board Member of BRAC UK, part of an international organisation helping local communities tackle extreme poverty, illiteracy, disease and social injustice, and specialises in environmental economy. Murad is known to many as a former London Assembly member and a past chair of Stop the War Coalition UK. A copy of Murad’s slide presentation is available here.

Carol Turner is a long-time nuclear disarmament campaigner and anti-war activist. She is a CND Vice Chair and author of Corbyn and Trident: Labour’s continuing controversy and Walter Wolfgang a political life. Read Carol’s recent comment on Labour Hub, How long will the India-Pakistan ceasefire last?

PeaceLine Issue 10

The June edition of PeaceLine is here.

This month, editor Jessica Freeman discusses the implications of the recent clashes between India and Pakistan, what it means for modern warfare, and the ever-present nuclear dimension of the conflict. She also reports on a growing push to power energy-intensive AI firms with nuclear energy. Elsewhere in this issue, you’ll find a preview of CND Vice-President Ian Fairlie's forthcoming book, and an examination of the trending question: did NATO create Eurovision?

Scientists Against Rearmament

At the beginning of March, scientists from across the world issued a manifesto opposing militarisation and calling on governments to ‘construct peace, not war’. The many European signatories are joined by those from North America, Latin America, China, India, and Russia. 

Almost 4,000 medics, engineers, and other practitioners, academics, foundations, and NGOs have signed up. UK organisations include the Pugwash Council, Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation, and Stephen Hawking’s Fellowship of Edinburgh University. Former CND chair, Professor Dave Webb, is also a signatory.

Noting that conflicts are on the rise around the world, the manifesto challenges the idea that peace depends on overpowering the other side, arguing that this only leads to escalation, and escalation leads to war. Instead, it calls on governments to engage in dialogue, tolerance, and diplomacy.

The manifesto reminds us: ‘major conflicts have always been preceded by massive military investments. Since 2009, global military spending has reached unprecedented record levels each year, with 2024 expenditure hitting an all-time high of 2443 billion dollars. The “ReArm Europe Plan” commits Europe to invest 800 billion euros in military expenses.’

Read the Scientists Against Rearmament Manifesto here