International Media Narratives on the Pahalgam Terrorist Attack and Emerging India-Pakistan Tensions: A Discourse Analysis

This paper examines how international media outlets reported the Pahalgam terrorist attack of April 2025 in Jammu and Kashmir and how these narratives shaped emerging India–Pakistan tensions. The primary objective of the study is to analyze variations in language use, attribution of responsibility, and geopolitical framing across global media coverage, and to assess their implications for international perceptions of terrorism and regional security in South Asia. Methodologically, the study employs qualitative discourse analysis informed by Framing Theory and Critical Discourse Analysis. The analysis focuses on news reports, editorials, and explanatory articles published by six major international media organizations-BBC, Reuters, Al Jazeera, The New York Times, CNN, and Xinhua. These outlets were selected based on their global reach, agenda-setting influence, and geopolitical diversity. The dataset comprises articles published between April and June 2025, capturing both immediate reporting on the attack and subsequent coverage of diplomatic and military developments, including India’s Operation Sindoor. The findings identify five dominant discursive patterns across international media narratives: (i) terrorism framed as a regional security threat, (ii) the recurring India–Pakistan blame game, (iii) Kashmir portrayed as a persistent conflict zone, (iv) the articulation of India’s nationalist security discourse, and (v) Pakistan’s diplomatic positioning and denial narrative. Western media outlets largely adopted neutral terminology such as “militants,” emphasizing diplomatic fallout and de-escalation, while other outlets foregrounded political, humanitarian, and strategic dimensions of the crisis. The study demonstrates that international media do not merely report events but actively shape geopolitical interpretations by legitimizing certain state actions and influencing global diplomatic responses. By situating media narratives within broader power relations and ideological frameworks, the paper contributes to scholarship on media framing, terrorism studies, and international relations, highlighting the role of global media as influential actors in the construction of South Asian security discourse.