December 23, 2020
We begin within the early 20th century,
when the vast Indian subcontinent is dominated by British Empire for nearly 150 years.
The region is split into provinces directly administered by British Empire, and hundreds
of princely states indirectly under British crown, including Jammu and Kashmir to the north.
The colony of India enriches British Empire, including by providing tea, coffee, cotton, and various tax receipts.
Portugal and France still control small areas although these are highly hooked in to British colony. While within the 19th century anti-British revol
from the first 20th century nationalist movements regain momentum.
During the primary war , about one and a half million Indians are drafted in to fight on European fronts and across British Empire. Despite their lo
Indians don't see their overall conditions improving after the top of the war, thus intensifying protests against colonial rule.
Following increasingly violent and deadly repression by Britain,
Mahatma Gandhi becomes a figure of resistance by promoting non-violence and direct action , including the boycotting of British products. The I
Congress spearheads the revolt, calling for the creation of an independent and secular India. But India’s Muslim minority don't need a country do
Their political representatives, the Muslim League, involves the creation of an independent Muslim state. In Europe, the Second war breaks out.
The British Empire focuses all their available resources within the war against Third Reich . In total, over 2.5 million Indians would fight in severa
world. When the Congress Party calls on people to not participate in WWII efforts
and demands the departure of British ,
party leaders and tens of thousands of civilians are imprisoned.The Muslim League, meanwhile, cooperates with Britain to stay in their good boo
Britain finds itself struggling against Japan, which is allied with Germany, when it takes over Burma. This cuts a crucial supply of rice within the r
serious think about the Bengal famine of 1943 causing 2 to 4 million deaths. To calm things down, Britain promises to debate India’s independen
WWII.
In 1947, Britain meets the Congress Party and therefore the Muslim League to barter the country's independence. By now, the gap between Hin
widens to the purpose that Britain, fearing a war supports the thought of carving out two states.
Thus on August 14, 1947, the Muslim country Pakistan is born, divided into a western and an eastern part. And on and Assumption , 1947, the I
secular country with an outsized Hindu majority.
Initially, some princely states refuse to hitch either of the new countries, while violence between Hindus and Muslims erupts along the new borde
displacement of many people from one country to the opposite supported their religion. within the south, Britain still retains Ceylon for a couple o
fighting between Hindus and Buddhists.
The Hindu maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, which features a majority Muslim population, doesn’t initially join either India o
Pakistani troops infiltrate the border in an effort to seize the state, the Maharaja asks India for military assistance in exchange for integration into
often the start of the primary Indo-Pakistan war.
After two years of fighting, the United Nations negotiates a ceasefire and draws a short lived border. This border isn’t completed due to the Siach
north-east, uninhabited and almost inaccessible. it might be claimed by both countries. India becomes a federal parliamentary republic, and 171
eligible to choose the primary elections within the country. because the world is split into two camps by the conflict between the Soviet Union and
India opts for neutrality by becoming a non-aligned. This brings it diplomatically closer to African and Asian countries. But a visit by the Indian pr
USSR marks a rapprochement between the 2 countries,
which doesn't please its Chinese neighbor. After China takes over Tibet and therefore the Dalai Lama flees to India, tensions rise between the 2
China refuses to acknowledge the 1914 McMahon line drawn by Britain within the east of India, and claims a territory of Kashmir.
In 1962, China attacks India and quickly captures the 2 territories. China then declares a unilateral ceasefire, retains control of Aksai Chin and w
Arunachal Pradesh, although not recognizing the border. Hereafter, China fosters closer diplomatic ties with Pakistan.
Pakistan tries to maximize India’s defeat to China. Pakistani soldiers disguised as civilians infiltrate parts of Kashmir controlled by India, and pus
population to revolt. When Indian forces counter the infiltration, it sparks the second Indo-Pakistani war. Both countries attempt to invade the oth
seeing the Indian army come dangerously on the brink of Lahore, China threatens to intervene on Pakistan’s behalf.
The UN steps in and obtains a ceasefire, followed by a return to pre-war boundaries.
In 1970, a separatist party in Bangladesh gains a landslide election victory. In response, the Pakistani army takes over and violently suppresses
movements. many civilians, mainly from the country’s Hindu minority, go and seek refuge in India. India signs a treaty of military cooperation with
in response to Pakistani air strikes in north India, intervenes to expel its troops from Bangladesh . The us then intervenes on Pakistan’s behalf to
Bangladesh is recognized as a replacement independent state, while Pakistan finds itself weakened.
Three years later, India surprises the planet by conducting its first nuclear tests, sparking international concern. India increasingly faces separati
Assamese, Sikh and Kashmiri groups demanding independence. Sikhs are practitioners of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion dating from the fiften .
The majority of Sikhs sleep in Punjab where a radical rebel group takes up arms to demand independence of the
region. The group occupies the Golden Temple, the religion’s most sacred shrine. After the failure of negotiations, the Indian army storms the temple and neutralises the occupants. In retaliation, Indian prime minister Indhira Gandhi is assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards. This is followed by region-wide riots between Sikhs and Hindus. Finally, moderate Sikhs coming into power in Punjab would calm the situation.
