India fired missiles at Pakistan on Wednesday as part of the ongoing tensions between the two nations.
escalation of tensions
after
Extremists launched an attack on visitors.
in the disputed Kashmir region last month.
The incident occurred in the area controlled by India, with most of the 26 casualties being Indian visitors. Despite Pakistan refuting involvement, the Indian defence ministry stated that their “Operation Sindoor” struck specific locations inside Pakistani territory utilized by the attackers—a faction called Kashmir Resistance.
Who controls Kashmir?
The control of Kashmir is primarily shared by India and Pakistan. India governs slightly more than half of this area, whereas approximately one-third falls under Pakistani administration. The leftover fifteen percent is managed by China—the remote northeastern sector known as Aksai Chin—wherein they constructed an important strategic route linking Xinjiang to the newly acquired territory during the latter part of the 1950s.
Tibet
in the south.
Kashmir remains a contentious issue, dating back to the division of British India in 1947 when the initial military confrontation between Pakistan and India occurred. Both New Delhi and Islamabad continue to assert their claims over all of Kashmir, maintaining tension between them even now.
nuclear states
have risen over the past ten years.
How did the dispute begin?
In 1947, Britain’s previous Indian territory was divided into two separate nations: Pakistan, primarily a Muslim country, and India, which is
majority Hindu
At that time, the leader of Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh, transferred authority to India in return for protection assurances. However, the area faced an assault by forces from Pakistan, which initiated the First Kashmir War.
The war, referred to as the Indo-Pakistani War, went on for two years until the United Nations intervened to arrange a cease-fire. As a result, control over Kashmir was informally split between India and Pakistan through what became known as the Line of Control. This boundary was intended as temporary, with the understanding being “a more lasting political resolution would be determined later,” according to the statement.
The New York Times
.
Has there been an increase in conflicts since then?
With no long-standing political resolution, there have been two further wars over the region. The second Kashmir war took place in 1965, sparked by a covert operation by the Pakistani military into Indian Kashmir. The conflict was brutal but lasted only a few weeks, with the US and Soviet Union helping to broker a ceasefire.
The most recent official conflict took place in 1999, though insurgencies and attacks had been a common feature in Kashmir in the intervening period. The Kargil War again began after Pakistani forces infiltrated Indian Kashmir. Although it was a short war – with India ultimately regaining control of the area – it was fierce, resulting in hundreds of casualties for both nations.
In 1971, India and Pakistan engaged in warfare due to East Bengal’s quest for independence, which eventually culminated in discussions intended to enhance ties between these nations. A consequence of these dialogues was the establishment of permanence for the Line of Control in Kashmir.
What’s happened more recently?
Even though there haven’t been additional large-scale conflicts in Kashmir since 1999, the region continues to be plagued by minor insurgent activities and terrorist strikes. This was still true as of 2019.
Delhi removed Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status.
, as part of an
wider security clampdown
This drew criticism from human rights organizations. The region controlled by Pakistan, known as Azad Kashmir, is ostensibly autonomous yet relies economically and administratively on Pakistan for governance.
The recent strikes conducted by India signify the “most notable military operations in recent times,” as stated.
India Today
Islamabad has labeled the assaults as a “clear act of war,” which places the potential for additional hostilities in Kashmir on a precarious edge.
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