When India gained its independence in 1947, the country's Muslims, highly concentrated in the west, demanded their own country and were granted it with what became known as Pakistan. Since then, India and Pakistan have fought three wars-two stemming from border disputes concentrated in the region of Kashmir. While many Kashmiri's argue for self-determination, and some even nation status, India and Pakistan both have claims on the land. Several methods of resolution have been attempted, all to no avail, and many believe war or third party mediation is the only way to solve the problem.
To understand the current dispute, one must understand how the feuding countries came to be. The British first arrived in South Asia in 1619 and by the end on the century the East India Company had established permanent trading stations across the region. Britain's rule of the region grew, and eventually encompassed most of present-day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, but remained largely symbolic until the Sepoy Rebellion of 1857, after which all power was transferred to the crown. Strides toward self-government were made as early as the late 1800's by widened participation of natives in the parliament, but major steps toward independence were not taken until the 1920's by the Indian leader Mohandas K. Gandhi. By using both parliamentary and nonviolent resistance and noncooperation, Gandhi and his nation gained independence on August15, 1947. Unfortunately, this new state of India would not last in its entirety for long.
When Great Britain was moving to grant India independence after World War II, Muslim and Hindu leaders could not agree on the terms for a constitution. So, Britain created two states, India and Pakistan, and the provinces of the region could decide which to join on their own. This led to the creation of India, West Pakistan (modern day Pakistan), and East Pakistan (which became Bangladesh).
