Geographical Basis of Conflict between India and Pakistan

By : Sudeepto Adhikari , Mukul Kamle

Page No: 49-65

Abstract
For greater control over space and power continuous struggle occurring between different human groups and/or nations ultimately leads to conflict and war. The present paper is concerned with the conflict between India and Pakistan which is the longest conflict in the World Geopolitics with no end in the foreseeable future. The main objective of this paper is to study the geographical bases of India-Pakistan conflict. The paper is based on historical, political, economic, strategic and media sources. In methodological sense it is descriptive as well as analytical in nature. As the study is concerned with geographic influences upon the changing power relationship between India and Pakistan, thus, it is of great significance in the geopolitical studies. The study reveals some geographical bases of the conflict between India and Pakistan such as territorial (border disputes), strategic (importance of Jammu and Kashmir as buffer region), resource (water and maritime water disputes), religion or ethnic (displacement of large scale population from India to Pakistan or vice-versa) geography (geographical unity of a state or a nation in terms of physical and human phenomenon; e.g. Akhanda Bharat) and proximity (close proximity to Jammu and Kashmir to India and Pakistan). In conclusion, the study confirms that the conflictuality between India and Pakistan is geography stimulated.

Authors :
Sudeepto Adhikari
Professor, Patna University, Patna

Mukul Kamle
Assistant Professor, Deshabandhu Mahavidyalaya, Chittaranjan, West Bengal.
 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/ATNAGI.2021.41.01.4