In this essay, we will focus on the evolutions of the relations between Pakistan and India from 1947 to current. From the previous times when both countries locked horns and were rivals on the brink of war in 1947-1948, 1965, 1971 and 1999, to comparison of the current situation, we can argue that a real evolution has taken place, as the Indo-Pakistani relation has moved from traditional conflicts, mainly over the Kashmiri question, to a so-called ‘Cold Peace', guaranteed by what can be defined as a terror equilibrium. This is due to the fact that both of the players own nuclear power. Most of the conflicts between India and Pakistan originated because of the issue over the control of Kashmir (some people refer it to as Switzerland of the east), but there were other causes as well, especially on the conflicts afterwards, for example the historical roots, that means a traditional conflict between the two protagonists. We will study these others causes in our essay.
To deal with this wide subject, evolutions in the Indo-Pakistani relations and the road from what we can call ‘traditional conflicts' to a new balance of power defined by the nuclear force, we will try to follow these changes along our essay. In the first part, we will focus on the different conflicts that occurred between India and Pakistan since 1947, except 1971 (as it was a war that formed Bangladesh), and the creation and both this states, to see what were the evolutions and why can one say that they are still engaged in ‘classical conflicts'. Then we will be able to study the impact of India and Pakistan producing nuclear weapons, and show to what extent it can be argued that India and Pakistan are now in a ‘Cold Peace' situation because of the changes linked to the possession of the nuclear power.
[...] The Indo-Pakistani war of 1965 was preceded by a growth of tensions between India and Pakistan in the years, mainly because the problem of the future of Kashmir had not been solved. There were changes in Jammu and Kashmir State,on the part which was under the control of India but there was still no solution. For example the monarchy was abolished and the Maharaja was overthrown, in 1952 with the help of the sheik Abdullah, who was a very important politician in Kashmir. [...]
[...] But this conflict can also be seen as an evidence to show the evolution of the relations and the way to wage war between India and Pakistan. Indeed both the countries at this time owned nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction, and so the conflict could have led to a nuclear war. That's the reason why Pakistan withdrew so quickly, because if they didn't have the support from the United States or the international community, it was really too risky to continue the war. [...]
[...] India had possessed nuclear warfare capable material since its first test in 1974, and made 5 tests in May 1998 to prove the capability of its nuclear program, whereas on the other hand Pakistan started its nuclear program in 1971 and answered the Indian test by showcasing its nuclear prowess with their tests between May 28th to May 31st Thus we can say that this led to a strategic balance between India and Pakistan who were then equal from a power strategic point of view. [...]
[...] As it is written in the Encyclopaedia of Conflicts since WWII[1]: 1965, there were about 50 million Muslims living in India and there was always the possibility of communal riots that could turn bloody, as occurred in 1947 and 1948. If Pakistan were to wrest control of Kashmir from India, the Muslims living in India would be an immediate danger” - India had to show they cared, and their religion was an integral part of the post independent nation. That was one of the reasons why India went to war against Pakistan, because it wanted to guarantee its own security. [...]
[...] The ‘Classical Conflicts' between India and Pakistan over Kashmir: 1947- and 1999 conflicts The conflicts that surrounded India and Pakistan since the last sixty years have always been linked to the dispute over Kashmir, expect for the war of 1971, where the cause of the conflict was the dispute over Eastern Pakistan, which is now Bangladesh. We are going to first see briefly the conflict of 1947-1948 that followed the withdrawal of British India and the birth of the Republic of India and Pakistan. [...]
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