India-Pakistan relations continue to pose a risk of nuclear conflict despite neither side seeking open confrontation, the US Intelligence Community has warned in its Annual Threat Assessment presented to the US Senate. The 34-page report noted that while both countries aim to avoid escalation, the presence of terrorist actors keeps the region vulnerable to sudden crises. ADVERTISEMENT“India-Pakistan relations remain a risk for nuclear conflict given past conflicts where these two nuclear states squared off, creating the danger of escalation. The terrorist attack last year near Pahalgam, in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, demonstrated the dangers of terrorist attacks sparking conflict,” the document said. Pakistan’s army chief warned this month that lasting peace requires the Taliban to sever ties with militants targeting Pakistan.

Source: The Telegraph March 19, 2026 05:40 UTC