Presented verbatim as released by the UN Security Council –
Tensions between India and Pakistan have been growing over recent years as conflict between an increasingly religious Pakistan and a right-wing Indian Government. For a long time this has been in the form of sabre-rattling and rhetoric, but over the last few months the exchanged of (mainly artillery) fire over the border have increased.
There have been more than 10 recorded incidents of air to air combat with at least 4 jets (3 Pakistani and 1 Indian) actually having been shot down over the border area. At sea several ships have been damaged in ‘incidents’ believed to involve the exchange of fire.
This, coupled with mobilization and deployment into the border region of both armies, and intelligence reports of increased readiness on both sides indicate what may be a slide towards open warfare – the first between two nuclear-armed nations since the 1950s. Official statements from both sides continue to be inflammatory – India blaming Pakistan for wanting to impose a fundamentalist religious rule by force – describing the Pakistani Government as “Mad Jihadis”.
Pakistan claims India has been trying to undermine Pakistan for decades with its “ungodly and evil practices” and “neo-Imperialism”.
There have been half-hearted attempts at negotiation, but neither side seems to be able to back down or compromise.