India and Pakistan: The Recent Developments to the Sticky Situation

India and Pakistan’s flags side-by-side, courtesy of Adobe Photos.

By Isaac Bernstein ‘28

Earlier this month, on May 7th, the India-Pakistan conflict officially recommenced. Striking nine Pakistani targets, the Indian Air Force responded to what they referred to as the Pahalgam attack, a strike that they claimed was perpetrated by Pakistan. This  Pahalgam attack resulted in the deaths of 25 Indians and injuries to many others. Pakistan, however, claimed to have no involvement in the attack. 

These attacks have affected millions of citizens in both India and Pakistan. Not only have they resulted in physical conflict, but they are also disrupting the daily lives of both Indians and Pakistanis. Pakistan closed schools in both the Punjab province and Kashmir in addition to cancelling flights out of their airspace. India too implemented similar measures in these areas, as well as in Jammu, Rajasthan, Ladakh, and parts of Haryana. 

Additionally, these attacks have continued to perpetuate a cycle of violence between the two nations. Pakistani officials have targeted five Indian jets mid-flight and have also killed at least 12 civilians through what India has referred to as “arbitrary firing” in the Poonch district. India has also conducted airstrikes that, according to Pakistan, have resulted in over 36 deaths.

History of the Decades-Long Conflict 

Immediately following the 1947 partition of British India, the two nations began their long enduring relationship of conflict. The partition resulted in a Hindu-majority India and a Muslim-majority Pakistan and also led to the “Princely States of India,” known as Jammu and Kashmir, which were given the option to join either India or Pakistan. Both originally chose to be independent—however, Kashmir’s attempt at independence fell short, as Pakistan invaded their borders just three months after their initial declaration. As a result, Kashmir sought out assistance from India and joined the nation on a temporary basis, but India capitalized upon the opportunity to officially claim Kashmir as their permanent territory. These developments resulted in the first Indo-Pakistani War, which continued until the passing of a ceasefire, encouraged by the United Nations, was finalized in 1947.

Despite the ceasefire, conflicts between the two nations continued. Pakistan initiated “Operation Gibraltar” in 1965 as an attempt to disunite Kashmir and India, but to no avail. Thousands of Indian and Pakistani soldiers died in the conflict and, once again, a UN-mediated ceasefire was reached. 

This ceasefire, however, was fleeting, as a third war between the two nations began in 1971. This conflict about country land barriers, resulting in Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) officially gaining independence and the signing of the Simla Agreement by both India and Pakistan. Under this contract, the nations agreed to respect one another’s “national unity, territorial integrity, political independence, and sovereign equality,” among other conditions to establish peace. 

Although major physical conflicts were largely nonexistent until recently, tensions persisted throughout time. Marked by incidents such as Pakistani forces seizing Indian-controlled Himalayan territory—an event resulting in approximately 10,000 deaths—and India’s 2019 decision to revoke Kashmir’s autonomous status, India and Pakistan have always remained in sharp contrast.

A Return to the Recent: 

In response to India’s pursuits, the Government of Pakistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a formal statement to the international community, stating that “the Indian leadership has once again used the bogey of terrorism to advance its sham narrative of victimhood, jeopardizing regional peace and security.” He also added that “India’s reckless action has brought the two nuclear-armed states closer to a major conflict.”

Conversely, India, represented by their Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asserted that India “will be monitoring every step of Pakistan.” Emphasizing that “this is not an era of war, but this is not an era of terrorism, either” in reference to their current relationship with Pakistan, India’s vision is for a future resolution that will not be easily reached without significant reform. 

However, the two nations have recently reached a new ceasefire agreement, with the intervention of the United States. Both Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar agreed that this ceasefire “worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action” and that it was in place “effective immediately” respectively. 

Assisted by Secretary of State Macro Rubio and Vice President JD Vance, the ceasefire has remained intact. However, neither country is reducing their focus. For example, Prime Minister Modi released a separate public statement to the press, promising that “if another terrorist attack against India is carried out, a strong response will be given.”

Statements, Interventions, and Effects on Key International Powers

As seen with most international conflicts, India and Pakistan’s feud has affected many other nations as well. China has been exposed as having a multitude of military vulnerabilities, mainly highlighted through the failure of Pakistan’s Chinese-made PL-15 missiles to protect it against India. These missiles were intended to be the most developed in China’s arsenal, but in reality, proved to be inaccurate or malfunctioning in the middle of their flight.

China also saw massive failures with its HC-9 surface-to-air missile system. Intended to assist Pakistan with missile and aircraft detection and interception, China’s technology failed to detect any potential threats (of many), and thus took a massive hit to its trustworthiness, formidability, and power in the international sphere. 

India too has a strong supporter, as Russia has had formally established ties with India for decades. Beginning in 1950 when Russia vetoed a UN Security Council decision to support India on Kashmir’s annexation, the two nations have traded over 66 billion dollars and had their leaders meet 17 times in the past decade. Moreover, India is the largest importer of Russian military equipment and weaponry in the world

Despite their strong military capabilities, however, the Russian Foreign Ministry publicly expressed “deep concern” over the conflict’s progression and has continued to urge India to reach a peaceful agreement with Pakistan. 

Given their indirect ties to the unfolding conflict, both China and Russia remain under close scrutiny by the international community as a result. 

Conclusion

In short, India and Pakistan are no strangers to conflict, having fought three wars and engaged in decades of hostility. However, the ongoing tensions extend beyond their borders, impacting millions of residents and drawing international concern. As a result, this dispute remains a fixture on front pages and a prioritized concern for governments worldwide.