Explosions heard after ceasefire – DW – 05/10/2025

[ad_1] When former British India gained independence and was divided into India and Pakistan in 1947, Muslim-majority Kashmir was free to decide on which new nation to hitch, or to stay impartial.

The Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, a Hindu ruler of a Muslim-majority state, initially wished independence however finally selected to accede to India after a Pakistani-backed tribal invasion.

A conflict erupted and India requested the United Nations to intervene. The UN really helpful that they maintain a referendum on whether or not the state would be part of India or Pakistan. Nevertheless, neither nation might agree on a deal to demilitarize the area forward of such a vote.

In July 1949, as really helpful by the UN, India and Pakistan agreed on a ceasefire line which finally grew to become the so-called Line of Control (LoC) . following an settlement signed in 1972.

The area grew to become divided into India-administered Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir plus Gilgit-Baltistan. Including to the complexity, China additionally controls a portion (Aksai Chin).

Each India and Pakistan nonetheless declare full sovereignty over the area.

There have been sporadic conflicts between the 2 sides over the contested area since then, interspersed with intervals of de-escalation.

However the election of the Hindu-nationalist BJP to energy in India in 2014 marked a brand new interval of stress. The BJP authorities responded to a serious assault in 2019 by launching cross-border air strikes. Later that 12 months, it revoked Jammu and Kashmir's autonomy, sparking elevated protest throughout the area that was met with repression.

This was adopted by a interval of relative calm by which Delhi promoted a nascent vacationer sector within the area that started to increase till the assault towards vacationers close to the hotspot of Pahalgam on April 22, 2025.