India’s New Abnormal: Doctrine, Deterrence and De-escalation in South Asia’s Post-war dynamics

by: Sherry Rehman

Date: July 26, 2025

India’s May 2025 military strikes on Pakistan marked the emergence of a dangerous new normal in South Asia. Framed by a doctrine of permanent conflict, India’s actions during and after the crisis revealed a shift away from diplomacy and restraint toward unilateralism, disinformation, and strategic overreach. The special feature analyses how this transformation has lowered the threshold for conflict, eroded deterrence stability, and introduced long-term risks to regional security. As Pakistan responds with calibrated restraint and international mediation fades from view, South Asia remains locked in an increasingly fragile post-crisis equilibrium.