Why in News?
The Pahalgam Terror Attack on April 22, 2025, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists, has dramatically escalated tensions between India and Pakistan. India has responded by suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, closing the Attari-Wagah border, and downgrading diplomatic ties with Pakistan. In retaliation, Pakistan has secured its borders and airspace and threatened to withdraw from bilateral agreements. The region now faces a risky strategic standoff, reminiscent of previous military confrontations.
Introduction
Since gaining independence from the British Empire in 1947, India and Pakistan have endured a long and tumultuous relationship marked by four full-scale wars, several military standoffs, and ongoing cross-border conflicts. The core of these tensions has consistently been the Kashmir dispute, although other issues like terrorism, border infiltration, and political instability have also fueled hostilities.
Major Indo-Pakistan Wars
1. First Indo-Pak War (1947–1948): The Kashmir Conflict Begins
Background:
The first war between India and Pakistan, known as the First Kashmir War, began in October 1947 following the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir’s decision to accede to India. The then-Maharaja Hari Singh requested India’s assistance after Pakistani-backed tribal militias invaded the region.
Conflict:
India deployed troops, and fierce fighting ensued. Pakistan gained control of parts of the region, now called Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. A ceasefire was declared on January 1, 1949, and the Line of Control (LoC) was established under UN Resolution 47. This conflict laid the foundation for decades of dispute over Kashmir.
2. Second Indo-Pak War (1965): Operation Gibraltar and Tank Battles
Background:
The Second Indo-Pak War broke out in August 1965, when Pakistan launched Operation Gibraltar, aiming to incite rebellion in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Conflict:
India launched a counter-offensive, leading to one of the largest tank battles since World War II. The war lasted 17 days, resulting in heavy casualties. The Tashkent Agreement, brokered by the Soviet Union, restored the status quo. Though militarily inconclusive, India had the upper hand due to Pakistan’s failed infiltration.
3. Indo-Pak War of 1971: The Birth of Bangladesh
Background:
Triggered by the Bangladesh Liberation Movement, tensions between East and West Pakistan escalated due to political suppression and military atrocities by the Pakistani army.
Conflict:
Following Operation Searchlight and a humanitarian crisis that sent millions of refugees into India, India intervened. On December 3, 1971, Pakistan launched a pre-emptive strike, prompting India’s full-scale entry into the war. Indian forces swiftly advanced and captured Dhaka within two weeks. Over 90,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered, and Bangladesh emerged as an independent nation. The Shimla Agreement followed in 1972.
4. Kargil War (1999): A Nuclear Shadow
Background:
In May 1999, Pakistani troops and militants infiltrated Indian positions in the Kargil sector of Ladakh, violating the LoC.
Conflict:
India launched Operation Vijay, reclaiming key positions. The war concluded in July 1999 under intense international pressure, particularly from the United States, which forced Pakistan to withdraw. The Kargil War was the first direct conflict after both nations became nuclear powers, making it a dangerous precedent.
Significant Military Standoffs and Conflicts
Siachen Conflict (1984–2003)
A prolonged military engagement over the Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battlefield, began when India launched Operation Meghdoot to preempt Pakistani control. It lasted nearly two decades.
2001–2002 India-Pakistan Military Standoff
After the Indian Parliament attack in December 2001, India mobilized its troops along the border in Operation Parakram. Tensions escalated, but diplomacy averted full-scale war.
2008 Mumbai Attacks
A Pakistani-based terror group, Lashkar-e-Taiba, carried out a major terrorist attack in Mumbai, killing over 170 people. India held Pakistan accountable, triggering international outrage and further souring relations.
2016 Uri Attack and Surgical Strikes
Following a terrorist attack on an Indian Army camp in Uri, India launched surgical strikes across the LoC, targeting terrorist camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
2019 Pulwama Attack and Balakot Airstrikes
A suicide bomber killed 40 Indian CRPF personnel in Pulwama. In retaliation, India conducted airstrikes on Balakot, a terrorist training camp. Pakistan responded with its own air raids. An Indian pilot was captured and later released, avoiding escalation but highlighting the nuclear flashpoint risk.
Recent Escalation: Pahalgam Terror Attack, 2025
On April 22, 2025, a terrorist attack in Pahalgam claimed 26 lives, most of them tourists. India blamed Pakistan-based terror outfits and launched a series of diplomatic and military countermeasures, including:
- Suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty
- Closure of the Attari-Wagah border
- Downgrading of diplomatic relations
Pakistan responded by securing its airspace and border zones and threatening to exit bilateral treaties. This has resulted in a highly volatile standoff between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
Summary: List of Major Wars and Conflicts (1947–2025)
| War/Conflict |
Year |
Details |
| First Kashmir War |
1947–1948 |
Over Kashmir; ended with UN-mandated LoC |
| Second Indo-Pak War |
1965 |
Kashmir dispute; ended with Tashkent Agreement |
| Bangladesh Liberation War |
1971 |
Led to creation of Bangladesh; decisive Indian victory |
| Kargil War |
1999 |
Pakistan infiltrated Kargil; India reclaimed territory |
| Siachen Conflict |
1984–2003 |
Control over Siachen Glacier |
| India-Pakistan Standoff |
2001–2002 |
After Parliament attack; de-escalated diplomatically |
| Mumbai Attacks |
2008 |
Coordinated terrorist attacks by Pakistani group |
| Surgical Strikes |
2016 |
India responded to Uri attack across the LoC |
| Balakot Airstrikes |
2019 |
Response to Pulwama terror attack; high alert across both sides |
| Pahalgam Terror Attack |
2025 |
Latest escalation; serious diplomatic and military fallout |
