India's policy of treating major terrorist attacks as acts warranting direct military response, formalized after Operation Sindoor in May 2025, continues to shape bilateral dynamics with Pakistan. A border incident on October 2, 2026, prompted mutual diplomatic summons, with India citing illegal crossings and narcotics activity while Pakistan alleged unprovoked force. At the UN in early October, India reiterated it would not yield to nuclear coercion and would hold sponsors accountable, while Pakistan warned against a "new normal" of strikes and pledged full-spectrum deterrence. Persistent diplomatic freeze since 2016, limited recent clashes, and unresolved Kashmir-related grievances sustain elevated risk perceptions without active escalation in the immediate term.