India-Pakistan Conflict over Kashmir

Abstract

In the process of capturing a critical overview of the India–Pakistan conflict over Kashmir, this article argues that the causes of such conflict can be traced to the processes of state formation and nation building in India and Pakistan that began after the partition of the subcontinent. Thus the notions of secular nationalism and two-nation theory were deployed, by India and Pakistan respectively, to integrate Kashmir within their fold. While assessing the viewpoints of the contending parties, the article suggests that resolution of the Kashmir question is dependent on the overall cordiality in India–Pakistan ties. In this context, it suggests constructive alternatives to prevent conflicts and ameliorate India–Pakistan relations on the basis of prevailing realities, in two ways. Initially it reflects briefly on the possible measures to reconstruct the conflict-ravaged state of Jammu and Kashmir and subsequently it underscores the significance of the hitherto neglected peace related projects built through trade and development cooperation.