India Pakistan ceasefire: History of ceasefires between two countries and what the current one means

New Delhi: Ceasefire means temporarily or permanently halting war or conflict. It is implemented when two or more parties (such as countries, armies, or groups) agree to stop firing, attacking, and military actions.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed the ceasefire with Pakistan.

India has agreed to the ceasefire on its terms.

In simple words, when there is a war-like situation between two countries and they decide that there will be no further attacks, this agreement is called a ceasefire.

Main objectives of ceasefire: To protect human life (both military and civilian). To provide an opportunity for dialogue and peace process. To reduce tension and move towards a permanent solution. To respond to international pressure.

A ceasefire occurred after the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War which primarily revolved around the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, with both countries vying for control. The war began after Pakistan’s Operation Gibraltar, which aimed to infiltrate forces into Jammu and Kashmir to instigate an insurgency against Indian rule.

The Tashkent Declaration, also known as the Tashkent Agreement, was a peace treaty signed on January 10, 1966, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, by the Prime Minister of India, Lal Bahadur Shastri, and the President of Pakistan, Muhammad Ayub Khan. It aimed to end the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.

Then, after the 1971 India-Pakistan war, the Shimla agreement was signed between India and Pakistan on 2 July 1972 in Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh. Its official purpose was stated to serve as a way for both countries to “put an end to the conflict and confrontation that have hitherto marred their relations” and to conceive the steps to be taken for further normalization of India–Pakistan relations while also laying down the principles that should govern their future interactions.

A ceasefire does not mean peace – a ceasefire is only a “battle halted by agreement” – the war is not over yet. Peace is considered to be when both countries reach a permanent agreement or treaty. After several days of continuous shelling, drone attacks, and retaliatory military actions, India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire along the borders. The armies of both countries have decided to halt all military activities at the border. The situation in Jammu and Kashmir is currently normal, and firing from the Pakistani side along the LOC has stopped.

News