The May 2025 escalation between India and Pakistan stems from India’s attempt to establish a ‘new normal’: every “terrorist” attack on Indian soil will trigger a conventional military response, striking deep within Pakistan, beyond the Kashmir region. Each response will be more severe than the last, aiming to damage Pakistan’s military capabilities, compel action against what India calls “terror infrastructure,” and challenge Pakistan’s nuclear deterrence. India’s ‘new normal’ equates assumptions…