- India-Pakistan truce starts May 10, 2025, at 5 pm after Pakistan’s attacks.
- Act of war means major attack; India may treat future terror attacks as war.
- India’s Constitution allows emergency for war; modern fights often undeclared.
On May 10, 2025, India and Pakistan decided to stop war for a while, starting at 5 pm. This truce covers land, sea, and air. It comes after Pakistan sent missiles and drones, which India said were provocative.
On May 12, the military leaders from both sides will talk to try to calm things down. India has made this point loud and clear: if there is another terrorist attack on Indian soil, it will not hesitate to declare it an act of war. So, what does “act of war” constitute in India’s law and in international rules? Let us make it simple.
What is an Act of War?
An act of war is not just any kind of fight. It carries a special meaning in law. The UN Charter, in Article 2 section 4, says that states should not use or threaten force against other states. But Article 51 says a state can resist being attacked. To be right in doing so, two things have to occur:
The International Court of Justice says only big attacks count for self defense, not small ones. Terrorism makes this harder. A rule called the Declaration on Friendly Relations says countries shouldn’t help terrorists.
If India can show Pakistan’s government supported a terrorist attack, it could fight back legally under Article 51. India has brought this up before, like after the 2001 Parliament attack and the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
How India Handles War
India’s Constitution doesn’t have a clear rule for starting a fight. Instead, Article 352 lets the President declare a National Emergency during war, outside attacks, or rebellion. The President does this after the Union Cabinet agrees, as per Article 74. Parliament doesn’t start wars but has to approve the emergency within a month, with most members in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha agreeing.
The President leads the armed forces under Article 53 but listens to the Council of Ministers. Parliament checks on military actions to keep things open and fair. There’s also a private guide called the Union War Book, last updated in 2010.
It tells every ministry what to do in a fight, like getting the military ready, setting up emergencies, and organizing defense, railways, and health. It was last used in 2001–02 during Operation Parakram, but no fight was declared.
India hasn’t officially declared fight since 1971 against Pakistan. Other wars were in 1947–48 (over Kashmir), 1962 (with China), 1965 (with Pakistan), and 1999 (Kargil, which wasn’t a full war).
When a fight is announced, the Geneva Convention establishes procedures in treating captives, shielding human beings, selecting targets, and handling neutral nations. When an enemy country has assistance from any other nation, it can become a target too.
Today, nations tend to steer away from fight declaration since it entails huge responsibilities, such as obeying the Geneva Convention and responding to the UN. Instead, they do smaller attacks or use other groups to fight, which gives them more options.
The truce is a chance to cool things off, but India is serious: if Pakistan is linked to another terrorist attack, it could be seen as an act of war. Whether India responds will depend on how bad the attack is, its own laws, global rules, and talks with other countries. Everyone is watching as India and Pakistan deal with this tough situation.
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