First Kashmir War 1947-1949

At the end of the British Raj, the 562 nominally independent princely states were given the option to join either India or Pakistan. A few states readily joined Pakistan, but almost all of the rest merged with India. Jammu and Kashmir, with a Hindu ruler and a predominantly Muslim population remained uncommitted until, on October 22, 1947, some 10,000 Pathans from the North-West Frontier Province invaded, probably with Pakistani encouragement. The maharaja requested assistance from India but before the country would provide military aid he had to sign the Instrument of Accession, joining India.

After the maharaja signed, on October 27, 1947, the Indian 161st Infantry Brigade was deployed and stopped the advance of the Pathans towards the capital of Srinagar. At the same time, the government of Pakistan refused to recognize the accession and denounced it as a fraud; Pakistan initiated an active military and diplomatic campaign to undo the accession. In November, the 161st counterattacked and forced the Pathans to retreat. Only a lack of reinforcements prevented the brigade from pushing the irregulars all the way back to Pakistan. Instead, the 161st had to settle into a static defense. Pakistan was unable to send its army to assist the Pathans, because its British officers refused and threatened to resign, organized Azad (Free) Kashmir volunteer units drawn from its troops. As the conflict escalated, the Indian government sought United Nations (UN) mediation of the conflict on December 31, 1947.

By January 1948, Azad Kashmir forces began to appear on the battlefield in support of the Pathan irregulars, taking the initiative and forcing the Indian troops to retreat from the border areas. In May 1948, the reinforced Indian troops mounted a final offensive to retake some of the ground that it had lost. Concern that Indian forces might invade led to the deployment of regular units of the Pakistani army in Kashmir for the first time. The Indian army did not achieve its objectives and the front stalemated. UN mediation eventually brought about a cease-fire between Pakistani and Indian troops, which took place on January 1, 1949, ending the first war over Kashmir. The UN sponsored agreement provided for a plebiscite to be held to determine the future of Kashmir but, in fact, it formalized the military status quo, leaving Kashmir divided with 30 percent under Pakistani control and the rest Indian.

Notes

[1] Clodfelter also reports 5,000 Pathan and Kashmiri civilian battle deaths for a total of 7,500.

[2] Clodfelter reports Indian battle deaths of 1,500 with 1,000 missing.

References

Clodfelter, 1087-8; COW147; India - A Country Study; Kohn, 227; Pakistan - A Country Study.

Region

South Asia

Belligerents

India, Pakistan, Pathans

Dispute

Territory

Initiation Date

October 26, 1947

Termination Date

January 1, 1949

Duration

1 year, 2 months, 1 week
(434 days)

Outcome

Unresolved Truce
(UN intervention)

Fatalities

Total: 3,500^[1]
India: 2,500^[2]
Pakistan: 1,000

Magnitude

3.5

Armed Conflict Events Data