India and Pakistan history have a long, entwined, and sometimes conflict-ridden past. The two countries have regrettably become embroiled in a succession of wars ever since gaining freedom from British rule in 1947. Their conflicts have considerably defined their relations and, in extension, South Asia’s geopolitics. The very partition of British India itself resulted in gigantic violence and large-scale displacement, thus establishing a bitter tone from the very onset of their life as independent countries. Long History of Conflicts
The Major Wars: Wounds on the Subcontinent
First Kashmir War (1947-1948):
Soon after independence, the two nations waged war over the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Hindu Maharaja of Kashmir decided to accede to India, even though Kashmir was a Muslim-majority area. This immediately resulted in an armed conflict. A UN-sponsored ceasefire finally ended the war, but it also left Kashmir divided by a Line of Control (LoC), which remains one of the main flashpoints today.
The 1965 War:
This war too was mainly fought over the issue of Kashmir. It started after Pakistan initiated secret operations, known as Operation Gibraltar, to foment an uprising in Indian-held Kashmir. These operations soon escalated into an all-out war. The war continued for 17 days and remained largely inconclusive. Eventually, a ceasefire and the Tashkent Declaration ended the hostilities.
The 1971 War (Bangladesh Liberation War):
This war had dissimilar causes from the earlier ones. It was a result of a serious political crisis in then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). India entered the war militarily in favour of Bengali independence. The war was brief but conclusive, resulting in the Pakistani forces’ surrender in the East and, as a result, the establishment of Bangladesh. This war dramatically changed the regional balance of power.
The Kargil War (1999):
This was a limited but very fierce war that was fought in high-altitude warfare. Pakistani troops infiltrated and took up strategic heights on the Indian side of the LoC in the Kargil district. In retaliation, Indian troops unleashed a major military campaign to retake the territory. Pakistan retreated its troops after several weeks of intense fighting, partly because of international pressure.
Other Conflicts and Continuing Issues
Outside of these big conflicts, India and Pakistan have seen many minor fights and contentious armed confrontations. For example, the world’s highest battlefield in the Siachen Glacier has intermittently seen clashes since 1984. Key to note, however, is that the issue of Kashmir persists unresolved. It fuels a historic insurgency within Indian-administered Kashmir for which India routinely assigns blame to Pakistani backing. In addition, accusations of cross-border terrorism have constituted a source of ongoing tension between the two countries. Of late, water rights, specifically with regard to rivers running out of India into Pakistan, have also emerged as a major point of contention, signaled by recent tension over the Chenab River flows.
Recent Tensions: A Precarious Present
As of early May 2025, tensions have again come to a critical and perilous edge. After a fatal attack in Indian-held Kashmir’s Pahalgam in April, which India accused Pakistan of, military clashes have risen sharply. Reports suggest India initiated “Operation Sindoor,” including attacks into Pakistan and Pakistan-held Kashmir. This prompted Pakistani counterattacks and has ignited widespread fears of a broader, more destructive war. This protracted and agonising history of conflict, thus, highlights the imperative and ongoing necessity for peaceful settlement and stable relations between these two nuclear-armed neighbours.
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