• India sucessfully tested its first nuclear bomb in a 1974 atmospheric test.Mushroom cloud image by morrbyte from Fotolia.com
  
  The conflict between India and Pakistan is long and complicated. British colonialism has also heavily influenced Indian history. The Indo-Pakistan conflicts can be traced back to the formation and unraveling of the British Empire and ongoing disagreements over the disputed Jammu province and Kashmir. In 1947, when Great Britain ended its colonial hold on the region, India and Pakistan became profound and bitter rivals. This animosity escalated to dangerous levels in 1998 when India first tested a nuclear weapon.
  
  

1846: Jammu and Kashmir

• The protectorate of the British Maharajah included the province of Kashmir, which was culturally dominated by Muslims.praying time in mosque. shrinagar, kashmir image by Vladimir Melnik from Fotolia.com
  
  In the 19th century, the British fought the Sikhs in these two diverse regions. After defeating the Sikhs, the British did not assume direct control but instead installed a Hindu Maharajah to rule the population. This bred a degree of resentment among the population that included a mix of Buddhists in the Ladakh region, adherents to Islam in Kashmir, and Hindus who resided mainly in the Jammu province. This set the stage for later Kashmir conflicts.
  
  

1947: Independent but Divided

• India was formed with a Hindu cultural majority, but the government remained mainly secular.india flag icon. (with clipping path) image by Andrey Zyk from Fotolia.com
  
  After India achieved its independence in 1947, the plan was to divide the country into two distinct regions. India was formed as a state dominated by Hindus. In Pakistan, Muslims were the majority. However, many riots ensued when a number of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs found themselves on the wrong side of the partition. It is estimated that a million people were killed or displaced in the resulting violence
  
  

1947, 1965 and 1971: The Indo-Pakistan Wars

• Since the ruling Maharajah of the Kashmir province was Hindu, the Indian government reasoned that the region should become a part of India. However, since the majority of the population was Muslim, Pakistan argued that the question should be put to a vote. The wars that followed resulted in further divisions between the two countries, including the division of Pakistan into two regions; Pakistan and Bangladesh. The Maharajah eventually ceded to India under no small amount of military and political duress.
  
  

1989: Kashmir Revolution

• The Indo-Pakistan conflict continued, although sporadically. The population had always chafed under Indian rule, and it was in 1989 that armed resistance broke out. The Kashmir conflict also included many Muslim extremists, including former members of the Afghanistan resistance. Some revolutionaries believed that the Kashmir province should join Pakistan, while others called for independence. India believed Pakistan was supplying the militants with arms, so accusations of terrorism ensued.
  
  

1998: Nuclear Threat

• When India first acquired nuclear technology in the 1950s, it was under the pretext of generating power, not producing weapons.nuclear power station 4 image by Vitezslav Halamka from Fotolia.com
  
  India's first "peaceful nuclear explosion" took place in 1974. India's first official nuclear weapons test occurred May 11, 1998. On May 28 of that same year, Pakistan conducted six successful tests of their nuclear weapons. Rallied by then-U.S. President Bill Clinton, several nations responded by denouncing the tests and freezing aid and trade agreements.