ABSTRACT
This paper incorporates the theory of realism and from the lens of security frameworks to understand the state behaviour. This research explores how terrorism has changed India-Pakistan relations from 1989 to 2023. The research used qualitative approach because it referenced secondary sources such as, Governmental reports and other international documents. It analyzes significant terrorist incidences from the beginning of the Kashmir insurgency to the Pulwama-Balakot escalation cycle. It also demonstrates how cross-border terrorism has changed from asymmetric warfare to a critical bilateral factor. When significant attacks trigger diplomatic-military responses, temporal analysis reveals several intensification models. Theoretically, India's increasingly severe responses reflect securitization mechanisms, whereas Pakistan's surrogate strategy balances realist power against India's traditional supremacy. In the midst of geopolitical rivalries and concerns about sovereignty, the UN, FATF, and the other major powers are also engage in dialogues with varying degrees of effectiveness about global participation. Normalization calls for sustained international pressure, credible Pakistani policy changes, and initiatives to boost Indian trust. This contributes to the body of research on how non-state violence transforms interstate relations in the nuclear age.
