Jammu and Kashmir achieved a major security milestone in 2025, recording its least violent year in more than two decades, with the annual death toll from terror-related incidents falling below 100, despite the high-profile Pahalgam terror attack in April.
Official figures show that 92 people, including civilians, security personnel, and terrorists, were killed in terror-related incidents during the year. This marks a notable decline compared to previous years, when fatalities consistently exceeded 100.
For context, terror-related deaths in prior years were:
- 2024: 127
- 2023: 134
- 2022: 253
- 2021: 274
- 2020: 321
Of the 92 fatalities in 2025, 46 were terrorists, comprising both local and foreign militants, with the majority being Pakistani nationals. Security forces lost 17 personnel, while civilian deaths stood at 28.
The decline is particularly striking compared with 2020, a year of intense terrorist activity, which saw 232 terrorists killed, 56 security personnel fatalities, and 33 civilian deaths. In 2024, the numbers were 69 terrorists, 26 security personnel, and 31 civilian deaths.
Along the Line of Control (LoC), security forces strengthened counter-infiltration operations. Eight terrorists were killed in northern Kashmir, and 13 infiltration attempts were successfully foiled, preventing militants from crossing into the region.
Security agencies continued round-the-clock counter-terror operations throughout the year, conducting nearly 3,000 raids primarily in the Kashmir Valley, with additional operations in the Jammu division, aimed at dismantling terror networks.
Current data indicates that around 132 terrorists remain active in Jammu and Kashmir. Of these, 122 are foreign militants, mainly from Pakistan, while the remaining are local recruits. The presence of foreign terrorists doubled in 2025, even as local recruitment remained minimal, with only one local individual reportedly joining terror ranks during the year.
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