(English) India - Summary Since 1900 (DownSub - Com)

We begin in the early 20th century,
when the vast Indian subcontinent is dominated by the British Empire for nearly 150
years.
The region is divided into provinces directly

administered by the British Empire, and hundreds
of princely states indirectly under the British

crown, including Jammu and Kashmir to the north.
The colony of India enriches the British Empire,
including by providing tea, coffee, cotton, and various tax receipts.
Portugal and France still control small areas although these are highly dependent
on the British colony.
While in the 19th century anti-British revolts

are quelled,
from the early 20th century nationalist movements regain momentum.
During the First World War, about one and a half million Indians are drafted in to
fight on European fronts
and across the British Empire.
Despite their loyalty and sacrifice, Indians do not see their overall conditions
improving
after the end 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 civil

disobedience,
including the boycotting of British products.
The Indian National Congress spearheads the revolt,
calling for the creation of an independent and secular India.
But India’s Muslim minority do not want

a country dominated by Hindus.
Their political representatives, the Muslim League, calls for the creation of an
independent Muslim state.
In Europe, the Second World War breaks out.
The British Empire focuses all their available

resources in the war against Nazi Germany.
In total, over 2.5 million Indians would fight

in different fronts around the world.
When the Congress Party calls on people not to participate in WWII efforts
and demands the departure of the British,
party leaders and tens of thousands of civilians are imprisoned.
The Muslim League, meanwhile, cooperates with

Britain to remain in their good books.
Britain finds itself struggling against Japan,

which is allied with Germany, when it takes over Burma.
This cuts an important supply of rice in the region,
which was a major factor in the Bengal famine of 1943 causing 2 to 4 million
deaths.
To calm things down, Britain promises to discuss

India’s independence after the end of WWII.
In 1947, Britain meets the Congress Party and the Muslim League to negotiate the
country's independence.
By now, the gap between Hindus and Muslims

widens to the point that Britain,
fearing a civil war supports the idea 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 August 15, 1947, the Indian Union

is born, a secular country with a large Hindu majority.
Initially, some princely states refuse to

join either of the new countries,
while violence between Hindus and Muslims erupts along the new borders.
This results in the displacement of millions of people from one country to the
other based on their religion.
In the south, Britain still retains Ceylon for a few months despite fighting
between Hindus and Buddhists.
The Hindu maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, which has a majority
Muslim population,
doesn’t initially join either India or Pakistan.
When Pakistani troops infiltrate the border

in an attempt to seize the state,
the Maharaja asks India for military assistance in exchange for integration into
the country.
This is the beginning of the first Indo-Pakistan war.

After two years of fighting, the United Nations
negotiates a ceasefire and draws a temporary border.
This border isn’t completed because of the Siachen glacier in the north-east,
uninhabited and almost inaccessible.
It would be claimed by both countries.
India becomes a federal parliamentary republic,
and 171 million citizens are eligible to vote in the first elections in the
country.
As the world is divided into two camps by the Cold War between the Soviet Union and
the United States,
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 prime minister to the USSR marks a rapprochement between
the two countries,
which does not please its Chinese neighbor.
After China takes over Tibet and the Dalai

Lama flees to India,
tensions rise between the two countries.
Moreover, China refuses to recognize the 1914 McMahon line drawn by Britain in the
east of India,
and claims a territory of Kashmir.
In 1962, China attacks India and quickly captures

the two territories.
China then declares a unilateral ceasefire,

retains control of Aksai Chin
and withdraws from Arunachal Pradesh, although not recognizing the border.
Hereafter, China fosters closer diplomatic

ties with Pakistan.
Pakistan tries to capitalize on India’s

defeat to China.
Pakistani soldiers disguised as civilians

infiltrate parts of Kashmir controlled by India,
and push the local Muslim population to revolt.
When Indian forces counter the infiltration,

it sparks the second Indo-Pakistani war.
Both countries try and invade the other’s territory.
But seeing the Indian army come dangerously close to 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 East Pakistan

gains a landslide election victory.
In response, the Pakistani army takes over

and violently suppresses independence movements.
Millions of civilians, mainly from the country’s

Hindu minority, go and seek refuge in India.
India signs a treaty of military cooperation

with the Soviet Union and,
in response to Pakistani air strikes in north India, intervenes to expel its troops
from East Pakistan.
The United States then intervenes on Pakistan’s

behalf to negotiate a ceasefire.
Bangladesh is recognized as a new independent

state, while Pakistan finds itself weakened.
Three years later, India surprises the world by conducting its first nuclear tests,
sparking international concern.
India increasingly faces separatist actions from Assamese, Sikh and Kashmiri groups
demanding independence.
Sikhs are practitioners of Sikhism, a monotheistic

religion dating from the fifteenth century.
The majority of Sikhs live 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.
In Sri Lanka, civil war takes place between an armed separatist group from the
Tamil minority who are Hindu,
and the Sinhalese government

who are majority Buddhist.
India, with its sizeable Tamil community, supports its brethren in the war
and parachutes supplies to besieged cities.
Eventually, India and Sri Lanka negotiate a ceasefire,
according to which the latter must accept some Tamil claims
in exchange for India sending a Peacekeeping Force to help end the civil war.
Although large-scale military operations were not originally envisaged,
the Indian army engages in a series of battles against the Tamil separatists.
To the point that the Sri Lankan government
finally demands the departure of the Indian army from the country.
In 1992, right-wing Hindus destroy the Babri

Masjid mosque dating from the sixteenth century,
which they believe is built on a sacred site

for the Hindu religion.
This angers Muslims and revives religious

tensions in the country.
Deadly attacks erupt, and for the first time, the city of Mumbai is affected by
terrorist bombings.
India accuses Pakistan of supporting the attack,

which it denies.
Both countries conduct nuclear tests, drawing

wide international condemnation and sanctions.
In Kashmir, Pakistani fighters infiltrate

into the Indian side.
The Indian army counters and quickly regains

control of the area.
After the September 11 attacks, the United States and India move closer
to cooperate in the fight against Islamist terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
China meanwhile strengthens its relationship with Pakistan.
Several Indian cities suffer terror attacks, the most audacious of which
is the Mumbai attacks of November 2008.
Despite some attempts at finding a breakthrough, Indo-Pakistani ties remain tense,
mainly over the contested region of Kashmir.
Here is the map from Pakistan’s point of view,
and here is the map according to India.

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We begin in the early 20th century,

The region is divided into provinces directly

of princely states indirectly under the British

The colony of India enriches the British Empire,

including by providing tea, coffee, cotton, and various tax receipts.

While in the 19th century anti-British revolts

from the early 20th century nationalist movements regain momentum.

and across the British Empire.

after the end of the war, thus intensifying

Following increasingly violent and deadly

Mahatma Gandhi becomes a figure of resistance by promoting non-violence and civil

including the boycotting of British products.

The Indian National Congress spearheads the revolt,

calling for the creation of an independent and secular India.

But India’s Muslim minority do not want

In Europe, the Second World War breaks out.

The British Empire focuses all their available

In total, over 2.5 million Indians would fight

and demands the departure of the British,

party leaders and tens of thousands of civilians are imprisoned.

The Muslim League, meanwhile, cooperates with

Britain finds itself struggling against Japan,

This cuts an important supply of rice in the region,

To calm things down, Britain promises to discuss

By now, the gap between Hindus and Muslims

fearing a civil war supports the idea of carving

And on and August 15, 1947, the Indian Union

Initially, some princely states refuse to

doesn’t initially join either India or Pakistan.

When Pakistani troops infiltrate the border

This is the beginning of the first Indo-Pakistan war.

uninhabited and almost inaccessible.

It would be claimed by both countries.

India becomes a federal parliamentary republic,

India opts for neutrality

This brings it diplomatically closer to African

which does not please its Chinese neighbor.

After China takes over Tibet and the Dalai

tensions rise between the two countries.

and claims a territory of Kashmir.

In 1962, China attacks India and quickly captures

China then declares a unilateral ceasefire,

Hereafter, China fosters closer diplomatic

Pakistan tries to capitalize on India’s

Pakistani soldiers disguised as civilians

and push the local Muslim population to revolt.

When Indian forces counter the infiltration,

Both countries try and invade the other’s territory.

But seeing the Indian army come dangerously close to Lahore,

China threatens to intervene on Pakistan’s behalf.

The UN steps in and obtains a ceasefire, followed

In 1970, a separatist party in East Pakistan

In response, the Pakistani army takes over

Millions of civilians, mainly from the country’s

India signs a treaty of military cooperation

The United States then intervenes on Pakistan’s

Bangladesh is recognized as a new independent

sparking international concern.

Sikhs are practitioners of Sikhism, a monotheistic