India-Pakistan And Afghanistan-Pakistan Conflicts Likely In 2026 Due To Heightened Terrorist Activity: Warns US Think Tank | India News
A leading US think tank has warned that a renewed armed conflict between India and Pakistan could occur in 2026, citing increased terrorist activity as a key driver of potential military tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
The Preventive Priorities Research titled ‘Conflicts to Watch Out for in 2026’, published by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), one of the leading US think tanks, on December 18, states the following: “Armed conflicts have flared up again due to increasing terrorist activities between India and Pakistan.”
Pahalgam Terror Attack
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This report comes after India and Pakistan briefly clashed in May after Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 innocent civilians in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam district on April 22.
Operation Sindoor: India’s Military Response
India retaliated by launching Operation Sindoor in which Indian Armed forces carried out precision strikes on 9 terror launch pads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, destroying most of them and killing more than 100 JeM and LeT dreaded terrorists.
Following India’s precision strikes, Pakistan attempted to retaliate by launching numerous drone strikes along the border. However, these drones were successfully intercepted and neutralized by India’s Air Defense systems, preventing any significant damage or loss of life on Indian territory.
Facing significant losses during the May 7-10 conflict, Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) reached out to his Indian counterpart via phone call and suggested a ceasefire. India accepted the ceasefire request, effectively ending the brief military intervention.
Afghanistan-Pakistan Tension Was Also Highlighted in the CFR Report
The CFR report also identified another potential conflict zone in South Asia, warning of a possible renewed armed conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The think tank cited resurgent cross-border militant attacks as a key factor that could trigger a military conflict between the two countries.
“Renewed armed conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan, triggered by a resurgence of cross-border militant attacks,” a report by a US think tank said.
In October 2025, tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan escalated when Taliban forces crossed the Durand Line to target TTP militants in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, leading to armed conflict between the two countries. Pakistan retaliated with airstrikes, killing dozens and displacing thousands. A fragile ceasefire has been reached through the United Nations, but cross-border terrorist attacks continue.
