As 2025 approaches its formal conclusion, the year has witnessed several mixed developments for Jammu and Kashmir, ranging from the reconvention of the legislative assembly after a gap of more than six years to the ruling National Conference (NC) placing Mehbooba Mufti and Aga Mehdi Ruhullah under house arrest over reservation-related protests.
Here is how 2025, a year marked by landmark developments in J&K, unfolded:
The first and most significant aspect of the year was that fragile security gains were largely overshadowed by horrific incidents of violence, most notably the Pahalgam terror attack, followed by county’s calibrated military response under Operation Sindoor.
Pahalgam attack
Though terror-related violence witnessed a significant decline in 2025 compared to the previous year, several civilians lost their lives, including 26 tourists who were shot dead by terrorists on April 22, when they were enjoying holidays with their families in Pahalgam.
The incident triggered massive domestic and international condemnation, with Indian security agencies pointing to Pakistan’s involvement in the massacre.
Despite the dreaded attack, the terror-related incidents witnessed a surprising decline, owing to the tight security grip maintained in the Valley.
From a security perspective, the security forces also managed to reduce the number of local terrorist recruits to single-digit figures, following years of continuous efforts in curbing terrorism in the UT.
OP Sindoor - India’s calculated response
Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the Pahalgam attack, was a major development concerning Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Air Force (IAF) targeted alleged terror camps in Pakistan believed to belong to Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, which were thought to have orchestrated the biggest attack in Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama attack.
India and Pakistan engaged in a brief four-day conflict in 2025, with civilians on both sides bearing the brunt of the cross-border shelling. Poonch district suffered the most from Pakistani shelling, with over a dozen civilians losing their lives, while infrastructure damage amounted to hundreds of crores.
Indus Water Treaty suspended
Tensions between the two nations reached a climax in May when India decided to put the Indus Water Treaty, brokered with the assistance of the World Bank in the 1960s, on hold, citing Pakistan’s constant involvement in terror-related activities and secessionist movements in Jammu and Kashmir.
While Pakistan protested at the United Nations (UN), India remained firm on its position, keeping the treaty in abeyance for an indefinite period.
Tourism industry crippled
The Pahalgam attack dealt a serious blow to the Kashmir tourism industry, as more than 90 per cent of hotels, businesses, and people earning their livelihood from the industry witnessed sluggish business throughout the peak summer and autumn seasons. The impact of the Pahalgam terror attack is still noticeable in J&K’s resurgent tourism industry.
Killing of Pahalgam attack terrorists
Security forces killed the alleged terrorists involved in the Pahalgam terror attack in Operation Mahadev in Srinagar. The operation lasted for several hours and ended with the killing of three terrorists.
Amarnath Yatra successfully concluded
More than 4.5 lakh pilgrims visited the Amarnath cave shrine to pay their respects, with the pilgrimage beginning on June 29 and ending on September 9, amid tight security arrangements. Not a single incident of violence was reported against pilgrims due to enhanced security arrangements.
Floods, cloudbursts and land sinking
The July monsoon brought widespread destruction to Kishtwar, Poonch, Doda, Kathua, Rajouri and Jammu, while Kashmir experienced a lower number of deaths from weather-related incidents. Flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains and cloudbursts killed 132 people and displaced more than 5,000 people. Rain-induced disaster caused land sinking in Udhampur, Doda and Kathua, with several structures and residential buildings suffering extensive damage, resulting in the relocation of hundreds of families to safer locations.
Udhampur-Srinagar rail link
On June 6, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the historic Udhampur-Srinagar-Rail Link project, connecting Kashmir to the rest of the country after a wait of more than seven decades. The state-of-the-art Vande Bharat train service, followed by the introduction of freight trains to Kashmir, has changed Kashmir’s valley forever, as travel and transportation services have become cheaper and safer alternative for local residents.
Outbreak of mysterious illness in Rajouri
In one of the strangest cases, 17 people lost their lives in Rajouri’s Badhaal village due to a mysterious illness. Investigators failed to diagnose the exact cause of death. The suspected disease had affected 38 people since December 2024. The mysterious deaths later prompted a ministerial-level inquiry appointed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
RS polls and BJP’s shocking win
Rajya Sabha elections delivered one of the biggest shockers of 2025, when the BJP secured a victory in one of the highly contested Rajya Sabha seats.
The BJP required two votes to secure a win in the elections, which appeared as a distant reality since independents and NC’s alliance partners favoured the ruling party going into the poll; however, the results surprised everyone, with Omar Abdullah alleging cross-voting by legislators as a deciding factor in the voting.
Assembly By-polls: Shocker for NC
The surprises continued in the Assembly by-elections. The Budgam assembly segment, which had remained a bastion for the National Conference since 1965, voted against the party and voted in favour of the PDP’s Aga Muntazir in a one-sided contest.
Overall, 2025 has been a year of a mixed bag, encompassing moments of joy with deadly terror attacks and celebrations of cross-community festivals, with a resurgent tourism industry and hopes of restoration of statehood dominating the discourses about Jammu and Kashmir within and outside the country.
By Waseem Ahmad Ganie
Also Read: Pahalgam: A geopolitical message in gunfire
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