Strategic Ripples: Bangladesh’s Calculated Response to the India–Pakistan Conflict of 2025

Reading Time: 3 minutes The sudden eruption of hostilities between India and Pakistan in early May 2025 has once again raised alarms over regional stability in South Asia. While the immediate military exchanges occurred west of the subcontinent, the shockwaves of the conflict were felt across neighbouring borders, most notably in Bangladesh. As a frontline state in terms of geography and vulnerability to regional fallout, Bangladesh has demonstrated a calculated, dual-pronged response that prioritises border integrity and diplomatic restraint. The Kashmir Trigger and Indian Retaliation The latest round of India–Pakistan tensions was triggered by a devastating terrorist attack on 22 April 2025 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The assault, which claimed 26 civilian lives—mostly Hindu tourists—was swiftly attributed by Indian intelligence to groups operating from across the Line of Control (Fowler, 2025). In retaliation, India launched “Operation Sindoor” on 6 May, targeting nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir using