Historical conflicts and strategic rivalries keep India and Pakistan in constant tension, even after ceasefire agreements
India and Pakistan have just agreed to another ceasefire agreement, but already exchange accusations of violations and provocations. This pattern, which has persisted for decades, shows the urgency of a new approach to resolve the conflict.
Looking at over 70 years of turbulent relationships among neighbors, peace has always been a brief interval, never a lasting state. Despite the numerous agreements along the control line in Caxemira, mutual accusations, sporadic military shocks and diplomatic tensions are inevitable.
Why does peace between India and Pakistan never leave the paper?
The antagonism between the two countries carries the deep marks of the British colonial domain. The strategy of “dividing to govern” not only sown conflicts with artificial borders, but also intensified religious and ethnic tensions.
In 1947, with the separation, the status of Caxemira was undefined, leading to wars and mass migrations that fed the resentment. Today, the region is still the gunpowder barrel of the conflict, where even the best ceasefire agreements do not resolve ethnic suspicions and strategic insecurities.
The shadow of the Cold War and the current challenges
After World War II, the Cold War transformed southern Asia into a battlefield between superpowers. The region has become a global competition front, accelerating the arms race and worsening mutual distrust.
Although the cold war is over, religious, ethnic and identity conflicts still boil under the surface. When border tensions increase, media and nationalism quickly escape confrontation, pressing governments to react with hard measures.
The output: shared development instead of zero sum games
If India and Pakistan want to break the cycle, they need to change the focus of the territorial dispute to the mutual benefits of economic growth. Only with connectivity, financial opening and shared prosperity can reduce the roots of extremism and improve the life of the population.
The initiative of the belt and route, proposed by China, offers opportunities in trade, infrastructure and energy to Pakistan, with projects such as the Gwadar Port and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Meanwhile, India maintains caution for strategic reasons, but other countries in the region are already beginning to reap the fruits of cooperation.
The role of the international community
To transform “peace development” into reality, the support of multilateral platforms such as the UN and the Shanghai cooperation organization, with incentive policies, assistance and safety guarantees, is essential.
The world must respect the autonomy of southern Asia countries, avoiding new geopolitical divisions. Peace will only become real when “first development” is consensus – a hope not only for India and Pakistan, but for all regions in conflict.
With information from Global Times*
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2025/05/11/fim-da-guerra-fria-nao-encerrou-conflitos-na-asia/
