1. India and Pakistan
Map3.1 India-Pakistan and Afghanistan
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1.1. The Background
♤ Pakistan resolution passed in the annual session of the All India Muslim League held in Lahore on 22–24 March 1940.♤ 1989 - Armed insurgency the Kashmir valley begins. Muslim political actors, after accusing the state government of rigging the 1987 state legislative elections, form militant wings.♤ 2002 - President Musharraf pledges that Pakistan will combat extremism on its own soil, but affirms that the country has a right to Kashmir.1.2. India-Pakistan Relations A Framework: Dialogue-Disruption- Dialogue♤ The foundational apprehensions of Pakistan against India and its quest for defining itself as the opposite has led to its intransigence on many issues.♤ Idea of a “composite dialogue process” (CDP) was articulated at the 1997 Male meeting between Indian Prime Minister I.K. Gujral and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.♤ When Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif met in Ufa in 2015, on the sidelines of the SCO summit, It was decided that the two sides will hold one discussion on terrorism and the other for peace on the border.♤ In the latest stage the dialogue between the two countries that resumed in 2015 was again disrupted by the terrorist attack in Pathankot and Uri in 2016.1.3. Key Issues♤ Normalization: Normalization refers to the process of making progress on the contentious issues between the country. It involves, trade, cultural exchanges and resolving the issues known as ‘low hanging fruits’ such as Siachen and Sirceek issues.♤ It is Seen as one of the most successful international treaties,♤ It is the first and only treaty that goes beyond water sharing to partitioning rivers.unrestricted use.1.4.3. Indus, Jhelum and Chenab: Western Rivers and Indiao Domestic Use;♤ The treaty states that except in certain cases, no storage and irrigation systems can be built by India on the western rivers.o The World Bank’s role in relation to “differences” and “disputes” is limited to the designation of people to fulfill certain roles when requested by either or both of the parties.1.4.4. Recent Disagreements♤ India and Pakistan disagree about the construction of the Kishenganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric power plants being built by India.♤ Talks related to the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric power plants are ongoing. However, different treaty mechanisms are sought by India and Pakistan.♤ The Treaty does not empower the World Bank to choose whether one procedure should take precedence over the other.1.4.5. What are Indian Concerns in Recent Times?♤ Given that water is J&K’s main natural resource and essential for economic development,1.4.7. Should the Treaty be Revoked?♤ The treaty has survived India-Pakistan wars of 1965, 1971 and the 1999 Kargil standoff besides Kashmir insurgency since 1990 and is considered as the most successful water treaty in world. Upholding the treaty even under adverse circumstances has added to the international image and India prides itself in being a responsible country1.4.8. India’s Options1.5. Sir Creek Dispute♤ It was one of the subjects in the India-Pakistan composite dialogue that resumed under1.5.2. The Sir Creek Issue: Significance1.6. Siachen♤ The 1972 Simla Agreement mentions the boundary after this point to extend “north to the glaciers”.♤ These contrasting interpretations have made it difficult for a final resolution of the dispute even though it is possible to mutually demilitarise the region given that both Indian and Pakistani soldiers regularly lose their lives there due to harsh climatic♤ India has therefore insisted that joint demarcation of the Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) on the ground as well as the map should be the first step to be followed by a joint verification agreement and redeployment of forces to mutually agreed positions.♤ The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is part of the larger OBOR or the Belt and Road(BRI) project of China.♤ The project through the development of Gwadar port also has strategic significance as it provides China a presence in the Indian Ocean.♤ On 18 May 2017 International Court of Justice stays death sentence given to Kulbhushan Jadhav by Pakistani military court until further notice.1.9. Trade♤ Withdrawing MFN status to Islamabad could mark an important – even if symbolic –♤ Pakistan’s total import from South Asia itself is less than 4 per cent.1.10. Vision and Reality