In the middle of all the news about big wars and problems around the world, a small terrorist group called The Resistance Front (TRF) has caused a chain of events that could make South Asia very unstable and even affect the whole world through the Arabian Sea. TRF was formed after India changed the special status of Kashmir in 2019. At first, it said it was a local Kashmiri movement. But many experts believe it is actually a new version of a Pakistan based terrorist group called Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which had carried out the deadly Mumbai attacks in 2008. TRF tries to look different by using names and messages that do not sound religious, making it harder for the world to quickly label it as a terrorist group. However, the way TRF acts shows what it really is. It mainly targets civilians like government workers, tourists, and religious minorities to spread fear and stop India from bringing peace to Kashmir.

TRF became known around the world on April 22, 2025, when its fighters attacked a group of tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir, killing 26 people, including some foreigners. Survivors said the attackers forced them to say religious words before killing them, trying to stir up religious anger inside India. At first, TRF took credit for the attack, but later it said their communication was hacked. Indian intelligence later proved that the attack was planned by Saifullah Kasuri, a senior Lashkar-e-Taiba commander, showing that TRF’s claim of being a local group was a lie. The attack caused great sadness, but it also quickly made the political situation worse.

After the attack, India blamed Pakistan for helping the terrorists and a serious diplomatic fight broke out. India stopped following the Indus Waters Treaty, a very important water-sharing deal. It also sent Pakistani diplomats home and closed many connections with Pakistan. Pakistan answered by banning Indian flights from its airspace. Meanwhile, both armies started firing across the border in Kashmir almost every night, making the situation very dangerous. People have seen this kind of trouble before, like in 2019 after the Pulwama attack, but this time it feels even more dangerous.

One reason it is worse now is because of the Arabian Sea. This sea is very important for world trade, oil shipping, and military movements. Any fighting there, like ships attacking each other or important routes being blocked, could badly hurt the world economy. India has already deployed its aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, to the northern Arabian Sea to strengthen its naval power. If fighting starts at sea, it could cause big problems for trade around the world, raise oil prices, and bring even more trouble to already fragile global markets.

The UN, the USA, and some European countries have asked both India and Pakistan to calm down and solve the problem peacefully. But neither side seems ready to step back. In India, many people are demanding strong action. In Pakistan, leaders are under pressure too and may not want to look weak. This makes the chance of a bigger conflict even more serious. It is shocking that all this danger is not because of a big army or a large attack, but because of a small terrorist group that most people had not even heard of until now.

The way TRF has caused so much trouble shows how small groups can use old tensions to cause big problems. By killing innocent people, TRF has restarted the dangerous fight between India and Pakistan. Its actions could even pull other countries into the conflict. In today’s world, where everything is connected, even a small attack can light a fire that spreads far beyond the place where it started. The next few weeks will show whether South Asia can cool things down or if the fire will burn even wider across the world.

Sources - The Times of India, BBC News, The Hindu, The Diplomat, and the Internet.