India, Pakistan, and China

Abstract

The relations between India and its neighbors have been contentious since the withdrawal of the British from the subcontinent in 1947. India has fought three major wars against Pakistan and one against China. Dozens of smaller scale militarized disputes have occurred between India and its neighbors as well. Fundamentally different factors have led to India’s historically poor relations with Pakistan and China. India’s difficulties with Pakistan have revolved around the irredentist-type Kashmir dispute, resulting in high levels of bilateral enmity and the constant threat of war. India’s relations with China, on the other hand, have resembled more of a mini—Cold War, characterized by tense relations but only rare instances of military confrontation over the past several decades. A comparison of Pakistani-India enmity with Sino-Indian rivalry illustrates the fact that nationalist-based disputes tend to breed conflict to a degree unmatched by those based on realpolitik-type factors.