Tensions are rapidly escalating between India and Pakistan, following a suicide bombing in India controlled Kashmir that killed scores of Indian security forces. In retaliation, India bombed what it called a terrorist camp inside Pakistani territory.
The situation is still unfolding–as I’m recording this there is word that an Indian Air Force pilot has been captured after his plane was shot down over Pakistan.
On the line to discuss this ongoing crisis, and explain why Kashmir has become such a flash point between India and Pakistan is Michael Kugelman, senior associate for South Asia at the Woodrow Wilson Center. We kick off discussing the events leading up to this escalation of hostilities before having a longer conversation about the history of Kashmir and India-Pakistani relations.
One thing I particularly found helpful in this conversation was Michael’s description of the domestic political logic in India and Pakistan that propels conflict over Kashmir. Needless to say, India and Pakistan have gone to war with each other–the last time was in 1971. But now, they both have nuclear weapons so any hot crisis like the one unfolding now has the potential to descend into the worst-case scenario.
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