Since the Pahalgam attack, in which India launched airstrikes against Pakistani terror facilities, tensions between India and Pakistan have been on the rise once more.
Aside from border skirmishes that escalate to warlike situations, India and Pakistan have fought at least three wars since gaining their independence. Since the terror attack in Pahalgam, tensions between the two countries have been increasing once more.
Here is a look at the two neighbors’ tumultuous past:
1947-48: Post-partition conflict Jammu and Kashmir became a flashpoint between the two countries, leading to a war. The UN brokered a ceasefire in 1948.
1965: Second India-Pakistan war Territorial disputes in Kashmir led to full-scale war and intense fighting between India and Pakistan. The Tashkent Agreement was signed in January 1966, leading to a return to pre-war positions and the establishment of a peace framework.
1971: Bangladesh liberation war India intervened in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) following the Bangladesh Liberation War, resulting in the creation of Bangladesh. India won a decisive military victory over Pakistan.
1986-87: Operation Brasstacks India conducted Operation Brasstacks, raising concerns of a potential war after Pakistani mobilisation. Diplomatic engagements helped de-escalate tensions conflict.
1989: Kashmir insurgency Kashmiri dissidents, backed by Pakistan, launched an armed insurgency against the Indian government. India deployed a large number of troops to suppress the rebellion.
1999: Kargil War Pakistani troops, disguised as terrorists, infiltrated the Kargil region of Jammu and Kashmir. India responded with full military force, leading to intense fighting. India successfully repelled the intruders and re-established control over the territory. The conflict ended with return to status quo along LoC.
2001–02: Attack on the Indian Parliament
Terrorists from Pakistan assaulted the Indian Parliament, sparking a fierce military confrontation between India and Pakistan in which both countries mobilized forces along the border.
2008: Attacks in Mumbai
Both sides prepared military forces along the Line of Control after India accused Pakistan-based organizations of being involved in the Mumbai attacks. Although there was no armed conflict, there was tension in the two nations’ diplomatic relations.
2011: Battle of the LoC
Five Indian soldiers and three Pakistani soldiers were killed in a confrontation on the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir, and both sides pointed the finger at one another. Tensions were raised by the incident, and both sides were urged to exercise caution.
2013: The incident in the Mendhar sector
In Jammu & Kashmir, 22 soldiers were killed in fighting that followed the decapitation of an Indian soldier.
2016: India launched surgical strikes on terrorist camps throughout the Line of Control in response to the Uri attack, which sparked a series of cross-border clashes. Pakistan then retaliated with airstrikes in Balakot, Pakistan, after the Pulwama attack, which resulted in a dogfight between the two nations’ air forces.
2020–21: Battles on the LoC
At least 22 people, including civilians, were killed in a significant gunfight and shelling along the LoC. Increased civilian displacement and casualties resulted from the ceasefire violations. In February 2021, a truce was agreed upon.