As Washington wavers, Moscow falters, and Beijing takes sides, only Europe has the credibility to keep South Asia from sliding into nuclear chaos.
Bashy Quraishy :Secretary General – EMISCO -European Muslim Initiative for Social Cohesion – Strasbourg
Thierry Valle :Coordination des Associations et des Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience
The India–Pakistan conflict remains one of the world’s most dangerous flashpoints. The two nuclear-armed neighbors have a long history of wars, cross-border skirmishes, and deep mistrust, with Kashmir at the core of their disputes. In recent months, tensions escalated after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam (Indian occupied part of Kashmir) in April 2025, which India quickly attributed to Pakistan-backed militant groups. Although Pakistan asked for an international enquiry in this unfortunate case and accepted a mediation offer by USA, India flatly refused. Instead, the Indian politicians and media started a ferocious campaign of blame game to punish Pakistan, which resulted in unprovoked strong measures, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and missile attacks on 6th May 2025 on mainland Pakistan, killing of many civilians and property destruction. Though a ceasefire was eventually reached with the direct intervention of President Trump, India still maintains a state of war through the continuation of its war operation called Sundoor. Pakistan on the other hand has repeatedly called for an external involvement to solve the Kashmir issue as well as initiate a dialogue but Indian government of PM, Modi has rejected this course of action.
Kashmir is an old unresolved issue
The Kashmir conflict has plagued South Asia since 1947, sparking wars in 1947, 1965, and 1999, and countless clashes in between. While bilateral agreements such as the Simla Agreement (1972) and the Indus Waters Treaty (1960) created temporary stability, they have not resolved the underlying issue of Kashmir. The United Nations has passed over a dozen resolutions on Kashmir since 1948, primarily through the Security Council, to address the dispute between India and Pakistan. Key early resolutions, such as Resolution 39 (1948) and Resolution 47 (1948), established the UN Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) to mediate the conflict and facilitate a plebiscite to determine Kashmir’s future. While later resolutions continued to address the dispute, they were met with mixed results, though the UN still maintains a presence in the region.
India traditionally rejects any third-party mediation, including UN and insists that disputes be resolved bilaterally, excluding Kashmir, which it claims to be part of Indian territory. Pakistan, on its part has long sought UN, EU and other international efforts to solve this issue, so that both neighbours can live in peace and focus on development instead of wars.
So, the peace remains fragile. Amid global power distractions—the U.S. seen as unpredictable under Donald Trump, Russia preoccupied with Ukraine, and China pursuing its own strategic interests—the European Union (EU) could emerge as a neutral peace facilitator. The next global crisis may not come from Ukraine or the South China Sea, but from the Line of Control. Europe still has time to act. It means that the world’s most dangerous border doesn’t need more weapons, it needs a mediator. Europe can be that bridge.
Why Europe matters?
Europe has played this role before. From the Balkans to Northern Ireland, the EU has shown that when it leans on its strengths—diplomacy, soft power, and patient consensus-building—it can bring adversaries to the table. Unlike the U.S. or China, Europe has no geo-political or strategic interest in the South Asian fight. Its interests are clear and simple: stability, trade, and non-proliferation. In a time when nationalist strongmen dominate, Europe represents rules, dialogue, and the idea that problems can still be solved at a table instead of a battlefield. Kaja Kallas, EU Foreign Policy Chief actually called the situation “very concerning”, saying the EU was trying to mediate and bring tensions down. She also asked both countries at the start of hostilities to show restraint and have dialogue to ease the situation. Later she welcomed the ceasefire. EU Spokesperson for the foreign affairs office also urged “immediate steps” to de-escalate the situation; recalling that a “negotiated, agreed and lasting, peaceful solution” is needed.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the EU, Rahim Hayat Qureshi, said in euronews:
“The European Union is one of the pillars of the global order. What we call the rules-based order. This incident is not just about India and Pakistan. This is about unilateralism versus multilateralism. We cannot allow states to become judges, juries, and executioners. Pakistan was open to international mediation, respect and wishes of the people concerned. Europe has a rightful role. We urge our neighbour, India, to accept intervention so that we can mediate our issues with peace and dignity.”
What the EU could do?
Europe doesn’t need to impose a grand peace plan; it needs to get creative:
- Offer neutral ground: Brussels could host Track 2 dialogues—academics, civil society, and business leaders from both countries meeting away from the cameras.
- Rebuild trust: Help India and Pakistan restore suspended treaties like the Indus Waters Treaty and support small, practical agreements on water, trade, and climate cooperation.
- Use carrots, not sticks: The EU’s economic clout is real. Tie trade incentives and development cooperation to de-escalation and dialogue.
- Keep it quiet: India resists outside mediation, but Europe doesn’t need to make it a headline act. Quiet facilitation, backchannels, and persistent engagement may achieve more than grand summits.
The obstacles are real
Europe faces limits. India rejects external mediation outright. Pakistan may welcome it, but that doesn’t mean New Delhi will. The EU also lacks the military muscle of the U.S. or the financial leverage of China. And let’s be honest: Europe is distracted too, from Ukraine to internal divisions. But doing nothing is worse. Every flare-up risk spiraling into a disaster, no one can contain. We all know that peace won’t come from grand speeches, but from quiet rooms and honest brokers.
A Call to Action
We believe that Europe should not wait for Washington or Beijing to take the lead. It should define its own role: a quiet, steady, neutral facilitator that helps build the fragile scaffolding of peace where others only fan flames. A special envoy for South Asia, neutral spaces for dialogue, and economic incentives for restraint could be the start.
The world cannot afford another war between India and Pakistan. The U.S. is unreliable, Russia is distracted, and China is self-interested. Only Europe has the neutrality and moral authority to step in. If the EU wants to prove it can still be a global peacemaker, there is no better test than South Asia. The alternative is leaving two nuclear powers to settle scores on their own—and the world already knows how that story ends.
The choice is clear: Europe can either watch the subcontinent burn or help douse the flames.
