13 Pivotal Issues Straining India-Pakistan Ties 

1. Kashmir conflict 

Kashmir has been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan for over six decades. It is a central issue between the two countries whose militaries have twice fought over the territory. India accuses Pakistan of sponsoring and exporting terror in Kashmir. 

2. Terrorism 

India has been accusing Pakistan of harbouring terrorist groups that have carried out grave attacks on Indian soil, such as the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and multiple others in Kashmir. 

3. Water disputes 

Disagreements over water distribution from rivers flowing through both countries, especially the Indus River, have been a cause of dispute. 

4. Cross-border firing 

Ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir and sporadic firing and shelling exacerbate tensions between the nations. 

5. Nuclear arms race 

Both India and Pakistan are nuclear-armed countries. Concerns about nuclear escalation heighten the stakes of any conflict. 

6. Terror infiltration 

Pakistan is accused of supporting infiltration of militants into India, especially in the context of insurgency in Kashmir. 

6. Diplomatic standoffs 

Diplomatic relations have often been strained, with frequent instances of tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats. 

7. Trade and economic relations 

Trade between India and Pakistan has been limited due to political tensions. 

8. Abrogation of Article 370 

Pakistan strongly opposed the Indian government’s decision to abrogate Article 370 to end Jammu & Kashmir’s special status. India debunks Pakistan’s opposition and claims it to be an internal matter in which the neighbour has no say. 

9. Kulbushan Jadhav case 

Pakistan accused Kulbhushan Jadhav of carrying out espionage while India says he was kidnapped by Pakistan and is being held in violation of a judgment by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). 

10. CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor)

India has expressed concerns about the CPEC as it passes through the Gilgit-Baltistan region, a part of its Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which is under Pakistan’s illegal occupation. 

11. Balochistan militancy and TTP 

Pakistan alleges that India is responsible for fomenting attacks in Pakistan’s Balochistan and even accuses it of supporting Pakistani Taliban, both claims strongly rejected by New Delhi. 

12. Uyghur ‘genocide’ in China 

India says that Pakistan has not been vocal in addressing the alleged Uyghur genocide occurring in China. 

13. Demographic changes 

India has accused Pakistan of promoting ‘demographic change’ in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir by driving out the real Kashmiris’.