On Thursday, India and Pakistan announced a joint statement in which they agreed to a ceasefire for the first time since 2003. This is a huge step for the neighboring countries, who have been firing across their shared border for the better part of the last 20 years.
Importantly, the disputed region of Kashmir, which both India and Pakistan claim is part of their own country, is also included in the ceasefire agreement. Both India and Pakistan see dozens of deaths from the scattered skirmishes along their shared border every year. Both military personnel and villagers are hit by stray artillery or small-arms fire on a regular basis near the border.
Escalating Tensions Since 2019
In 2019, a Pakistani terrorist detonated a device that killed 40 Indian military personnel in the Kashmir region. This began an escalation of tensions between the two countries, as India retaliated by ordering an airstrike on Pakistan. This, in turn, led to the two countries’ first aerial dogfight in nearly 50 years. Several months after this incident, India revoked the Kashmir’s regions autonomy, enraging their neighboring country.
This has led to an uptick in fire across the border. Experts have described the situation as a war by another name, with over 2,000 incidents of fire across the border in 2020 alone. The new agreement between the countries is welcome, both by the villagers near the border and for the international community. The potential for two armed, nuclear powers to engage in all-out war with one another is a scary prospect in the modern era.
Kashmir Breathes Sigh of Relief
“Someone who has not seen shells rain down cannot imagine the kind of life we are living,” Syed Ahmad Habib, 47, told reporters. Habib lives on the Indian side of the border, but can see houses in Pakistan from his doorstep. He told reporters that a long-time friend of his had died in a recent shelling. “If it has stopped, I am glad.”
The region, which has been something of a political football between the two countries for decades, is exhausted. In any event, India is in need of a break, according to analysts. Tensions along their border with China have been heightened recently, with a deadly clash in June leading to a months-long standoff at the border.
Whether this move is a calculated tactic or an actual precursor to peace, people in Kashmir will doubtless be relieved that the violence has stopped, even if only temporarily.
