UPSC GS Paper II: International Relations, India-Pakistan, Kashmir, Cross-Border Terrorism, SAARC

Must?Know (20–25 detailed bullets)

• The Instrument of Accession (1947) – Jammu and Kashmir acceded to India on October 26, 1947, following tribal invasion supported by Pakistan; signed by Maharaja Hari Singh under conditions of emergency.
• Article 370 – Temporary provision in Indian Constitution granting special autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir; abrogated via Presidential Order (C.O. 272) and Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, effective August 5, 2019.
• Article 35A – Empowered J&K legislature to define "permanent residents" and their special rights; introduced via Presidential Order of 1954 under Article 370; rendered inoperative after 2019 abrogation.
• Simla Agreement (1972) – Signed by Indira Gandhi and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto after 1971 war; committed both nations to resolve disputes bilaterally, including Kashmir, via peaceful means; established Line of Control (LoC).
• Line of Control (LoC) – De facto border dividing Indian and Pakistani administered J&K; formalized in Simla Agreement; not recognized as international boundary by either country.
• United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) – Established in 1949 to monitor ceasefire in J&K; India ceased cooperation post-1972 Simla Agreement, citing bilateralism.
• Sir Creek dispute – 96-km tidal estuary in Rann of Kutch; unresolved maritime boundary between Gujarat (India) and Sindh (Pakistan); involves interpretation of 1914 Bombay Government Resolution and 1968 tribunal award.
• Operation Gibraltar (1965) – Pakistan infiltrated J&K with disguised troops to incite rebellion; led to Indo-Pak War of 1965; failed due to lack of local support.
• Operation Parakram (2001–2002) – India mobilized troops after terrorist attack on Parliament; standoff with Pakistan lasted ten months; defused via US diplomatic intervention.
• Mumbai Attacks (26/11, 2008) – 166 killed in coordinated attacks by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists from Pakistan; Ajmal Kasab was captured; led to suspension of Composite Dialogue Process.
• Uri Attack (2016) – 19 Indian soldiers killed by JeM terrorists; India conducted "surgical strikes" across LoC, confirmed by government; Pakistan denied incursions.
• Pulwama Attack (2019) – 40 CRPF personnel killed by JeM suicide bomber Adil Dar; India responded with Balakot airstrike on JeM camp in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; first non-nuclear air strike across LoC since 1971.
• Balakot Airstrike (2019) – Conducted by Indian Air Force on February 26, 2019; targeted JeM training facility; Pakistan retaliated, leading to capture of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.
• Indus Waters Treaty (1960) – Brokered by World Bank; allocates eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) to India, western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) to Pakistan; allows limited non-consumptive use by India.
• Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) – Involved in Indus Waters Treaty disputes; India approached PCA in 2016 over Kishenganga and Ratle hydro projects; Pakistan challenged through same mechanism.
• Kartarpur Corridor (2019) – Opened for Sikh pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan; established via bilateral agreement; symbolizes limited confidence-building despite tensions.
• SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) – Founded in 1985 in Dhaka; members: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Afghanistan; headquarters in Kathmandu.
• SAARC Summit cancellations – 19th Summit (Islamabad, 2016) cancelled after India and others pulled out following Uri attack; 20th Summit indefinitely postponed due to India-Pakistan tensions.
• South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA) – Signed in 2004, implemented 2006; aims to reduce tariffs among SAARC nations; limited success due to India-Pakistan trade restrictions.
• Cross-Border Terrorism – India accuses Pakistan of supporting groups like LeT, JeM, and Hizbul Mujahideen; evidence cited includes 2008 Mumbai attacks, 2016 Pathankot attack, 2019 Pulwama attack.
• National Security Guard (NSG) – Created post-Operation Blue Star (1984); counter-terrorism force; deployed after 2008 Mumbai attacks; "Black Cat" commandos.
• Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) – Term used by India for areas ceded by Pakistan to China (Shaksgam Valley, 1963) and administered by Pakistan (Azad J&K, Gilgit-Baltistan); India claims entire region as integral part.
• China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) – Part of Belt and Road Initiative; passes through PoK; India objects as violation of sovereignty; raised in multilateral forums including UN.
• UN Security Council Resolutions 39, 47 (1948) – Called for ceasefire, plebiscite in J&K after withdrawal of forces; never implemented due to disagreement on demilitarization sequence.
• Shimla Agreement (1972) – Reaffirmed UN Charter principles; emphasized bilateral resolution of disputes; did not mention plebiscite, marking shift from international to bilateral discourse on Kashmir.

Difficulty Level

Intermediate – Requires understanding of historical evolution, legal instruments, and geopolitical dynamics; questions often combine factual recall with contextual analysis.

Common UPSC Traps (3–5 factual traps)

Trap: Article 370 was part of the original Constitution adopted in 1950 – Fact: Article 370 was incorporated via Presidential Order in 1950 under Article 370 itself; it was a temporary, transitional provision, not part of original text as enacted.
Trap: SAARC has a binding dispute resolution mechanism – Fact: SAARC Charter (Article X) prohibits discussion of bilateral disputes; no formal conflict resolution body exists.
Trap: Indus Waters Treaty allows Pakistan to veto Indian hydroelectric projects on western rivers – Fact: Treaty permits India non-consumptive use (run-of-river projects) with design specifications; differences resolved via Neutral Expert or Court of Arbitration, not unilateral veto.
Trap: UNMOGIP still functions with full authority on both sides of LoC – Fact: India ceased reporting to UNMOGIP after 1972 Simla Agreement, stating disputes are bilateral; UNMOGIP continues limited monitoring but India does not recognize its mandate.

Practice MCQs (5–7 questions)

Question: Which of the following statements best reflects the outcome of the Simla Agreement of 1972?
A) It established a UN-monitored plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir
B) It recognized the Line of Control as an international border
C) It committed India and Pakistan to resolve disputes bilaterally through peaceful means
D) It led to the immediate withdrawal of Pakistani forces from PoK
Answer: C
Explanation: Simla Agreement emphasized bilateral resolution of disputes, including Kashmir, via peaceful means; it formalized the LoC but did not convert it into an international border.
Why others fail: B is tempting because LoC was formalized, but neither party recognizes it as a permanent border.

Question: The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 allocates the exclusive use of which rivers to India?
A) Indus, Jhelum, Chenab
B) Ravi, Beas, Sutlej
C) Sutlej, Indus, Ravi
D) Chenab, Beas, Jhelum
Answer: B
Explanation: The treaty allocates the three eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) to India for unrestricted use, while the three western rivers go to Pakistan.
Why others fail: A lists the western rivers allocated to Pakistan, a common mix-up due to geographical proximity.

Question: Which of the following terrorist attacks led to India’s Balakot airstrike in 2019?
A) Parliament Attack (2001)
B) Pathankot Attack (2016)
C) Pulwama Attack (2019)
D) Mumbai Attack (2008)
Answer: C
Explanation: The Pulwama attack, carried out by JeM, killed 40 CRPF personnel and prompted India’s airstrike on a JeM camp in Balakot, Pakistan.
Why others fail: A and D are high-profile attacks often associated with diplomatic fallout, making them plausible distractors.

Question: Consider the following about SAARC:

1. It prohibits discussion of bilateral disputes among member states.

2. The South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA) was implemented in 2006.
Which of the statements is/are correct?
A) 1 only
B) 2 only
C) Both 1 and 2
D) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: C
Explanation: SAARC Charter (Article X) bars discussion of bilateral issues; SAFTA was signed in 2004 and implemented in 2006 to promote regional trade.
Why others fail: Candidates may doubt 1 due to past references to Kashmir, but SAARC has consistently avoided such discussions.

Question: What is the primary reason for India’s objection to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)?
A) It increases Pakistan’s military capabilities
B) It passes through territory claimed by India as part of Jammu and Kashmir
C) It undermines SAARC’s economic integration efforts
D) It is funded by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
Answer: B
Explanation: CPEC passes through Gilgit-Baltistan, which India claims as part of its Union Territory of Ladakh; India views it as a violation of sovereignty.
Why others fail: A is plausible due to security concerns, but the official objection is territorial integrity.

Question: Which of the following correctly describes the status of Article 35A of the Indian Constitution?
A) It was introduced through the 42nd Amendment and upheld in Supreme Court in 2018
B) It was added via Presidential Order in 1954 and rendered inoperative after 2019 J&K reorganization
C) It was part of the original Constitution and protected under basic structure doctrine
D) It was repealed by Parliament in 1990 during insurgency in J&K
Answer: B
Explanation: Article 35A was incorporated in 1954 via Presidential Order under Article 370; it was nullified when Article 370 was abrogated in 2019.
Why others fail: A is tempting due to 42nd Amendment’s association with major changes, but it is unrelated to Article 35A.

Question: The United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) continues to operate, but India no longer provides information because:
A) The group failed to prevent the 1965 war
B) India considers the Kashmir issue a bilateral matter post-Simla Agreement
C) Pakistan dominates the observer group’s decisions
D) The mandate was terminated by UNSC resolution in 1991
Answer: B
Explanation: After the 1972 Simla Agreement, India maintained that J&K disputes are bilateral and ceased cooperation with UNMOGIP, though the group remains in the region.
Why others fail: D is incorrect because UNSC has not terminated UNMOGIP; it continues with limited function.

Last?Minute Revision (20–25 one?liners)

• Instrument of Accession signed by Maharaja Hari Singh on October 26, 1947.
• Article 370 abrogated on August 5, 2019, via Presidential Order C.O. 272.
• Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, created Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh.
• Simla Agreement signed on July 2, 1972, by Indira Gandhi and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
• UNMOGIP established in January 1949 under UNSC Resolution 47.
• Indus Waters Treaty signed on September 19, 1960, in Karachi.
• Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) involved in Kishenganga dispute (2013).
• Operation Parakram launched in December 2001 after Parliament attack.
• Mumbai Attacks occurred from November 26–29, 2008.
• Uri Attack took place on September 18, 2016.
• Pulwama Attack occurred on February 14, 2019.
• Balakot Airstrike conducted on February 26, 2019.
• Wing Commander Abhinandan captured on February 27, 2019, released March 1.
• SAARC founded on December 8, 1985, in Dhaka.
• 19th SAARC Summit scheduled for 2016 in Islamabad – cancelled after Uri attack.
• SAFTA signed in 2004, implemented January 1, 2006.
• Kartarpur Corridor inaugurated on November 9, 2019.
• Pakistan Occupied Kashmir includes Azad J&K and Gilgit-Baltistan.
• CPEC inaugurated in 2015; passes through PoK.
• UNSC Resolution 47 (1948) called for plebiscite after demilitarization.
• India does not recognize UNMOGIP’s mandate post-1972.
• Sir Creek dispute involves interpretation of 1914 Bombay Government Resolution.
• Operation Gibraltar launched by Pakistan in August 1965.
• Neutral Expert mechanism under Indus Waters Treaty used for Kishenganga project dispute.
• India claims entire J&K, including PoK, as integral part of territory – official stance.
• Verify from standard source: Current status of SAARC summits as of 2023.