THE KASHMIR CONFLICT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CHINA-INDIA-PAKISTAN TRIANGLE (1962-1976)

Abstract

This article examines the role and significance of the Kashmir conflict in the Sino-Indian-Pa-kistani triangular relations between 1962 and 1976. In August 1947, British India underwent partiti-on, granting its princely states the right to decide whether to accede to India or Pakistan. Unlike ot-her princely states, Kashmir faced unique challenges in making this decision. Despite having a pre-dominantly Muslim population, the princely state of Kashmir had been under Indian rule since the late 19th century. This situation exacerbated religious tensions within the region, further intensified by policies of religious discrimination during British colonial rule. By the early 20th century, these tensions culminated in increased unrest, eventually leading to the Indo-Pakistani war over Kashmir in October 1947. Initially, the Kashmir issue was a bilateral dispute confined to India and Pakistan. However, by the late 1950s, it evolved into a geopolitical concern, attracting the involvement of external po-wers such as China, the United States, and the Soviet Union. Among these, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) displayed heightened interest in South Asia and began actively engaging with the Kashmir dispute. To consolidate its regional influence, China began the secret construction of a highway through the Aksai Chin region in northeastern Kashmir. This development provoked India and escalated into the Sino-Indian War of 1962. Following the war, China not only secured control over northeastern Kashmir but also established a strategic partnership with Pakistan. These develop-ments intensified regional tensions throughout the 1960s and 1970s, solidifying the PRC's position as a key actor in the Kashmir conflict.