Modi postpones Netherlands visit amid escalating Kashmir conflict

Thursday 08 May 2025 - 08:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Modi postpones Netherlands visit amid escalating Kashmir conflict

India’s prime minister Narendra Modi has decided to postpone his upcoming visit to the Netherlands due to the intensifying conflict with Pakistan in the Kashmir border region. Originally scheduled for May 16, Modi's trip included a planned dinner with King Willem-Alexander as part of a broader tour encompassing Norway and Croatia.

Reports from Indian media indicate that the prime minister will remain in India to convene all-party discussions regarding the ongoing tensions in Kashmir.

In response to the conflict, KLM announced on Wednesday that it would cease flights over Pakistan to ensure the safety of its operations. This decision affects routes to various destinations, including Thailand, Singapore, and India, which will now be rerouted.

The situation has escalated dramatically, with at least 31 fatalities reported from missile strikes on nine locations within Pakistan-controlled territory overnight. India asserts that these strikes were intended to dismantle terrorist infrastructure; however, Pakistan claims that one of the impacted structures was a mosque.

Pakistan has characterized the strikes in the Punjab province and Kashmir—dubbed “Operation Sindoor” by India—as an “act of war.” Among the victims were ten family members and four close aides of Maulana Masood Azhar, a figure designated as a terrorist by the United Nations. Pakistan has also claimed to have intercepted Indian fighter jets and a drone involved in this operation.

This aggressive military action follows a prior incident in which India blamed Pakistan for an attack on civilians in Kashmir last month, resulting in the deaths of 26 individuals, predominantly tourists. The heightened tensions between these two nations continue to pose significant risks not only to regional stability but also to international diplomatic relations.