Ever since the partition of the Indian sub-continent more than 60 years ago as the British dismantled their Indian empire, India and Pakistan have been arch rivals and tense neighbours Their animosities have roots in religion and history, and have recently escalated to a dangerous arms race. Since gaining independence from Britain in 1947, India and Pakistan have gone to war three times (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partition_of_India). There was also a threat of war again in December 2001, after a terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament and also after the terrorist attack on 2008 by Pakistani militants in Mumbai city. Despite attempts to establish a regular dialogue and resolve outstanding issues, relations remain tense. There is  increasing   international  concern  that  the  continuing hostility between the two countries could spark a major conflagration in the region and beyond. Many analysts believe that the animosity between the two nuclear-capable powers is preventing the region from realizing its full potential (https://news.bbc.co.uk › south_asia). 

 

In order to find the way of resolution, passport and visa free travel through ‘Trust Corridors’ from each country to the other country can be taken as pact and as a footstep through the simple theory of ‘Trust Relationship’, which can open the door of peace movement surely and firmly if materialized as this will create people to people exchange, culture exchange and economical uplift through smooth export and import causing win-win situation for both countries.

When India gained its independence from Britain on 15th August 1947, the Asian sub-continent was partitioned into Hindu-dominated India and the newly created Muslim country of Pakistan. 

 

But with partition came massive rioting and population flows as Muslims and Hindus found themselves on the wrong sides of the newly-drawn border. Around fifty thousand people died in extensive violence and communal rioting. The death toll was highest in Punjab, which was split in two. Part of it became an Indian state and part of it became a Pakistani province. India emerged as a secular nation with a Hindu majority population but with a large Muslim people, while Pakistan emerged also as a secular nation with Muslim majority and later becoming an Islamic republic.

 

The most problematic region was largely Muslim Kashmir. The Pakistanis argue that Kashmir should have become part of Pakistan in 1947 because the majority of its population are Muslims as British divided India and Pakistan on the basis of religion. They say that numerous United Nations resolutions mean that Kashmiris should be allowed to vote in a plebiscite to decide between India or Pakistan. 

 

The instrument of accession is a legal document executed by Maharaja Hari Singh, ruler of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, on 26 October 1947. By executing this document under the provisions of the Indian Independence Act 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh agreed to accede to the Dominion of India. Kashmir’s special status within the Indian constitution was confirmed in 1950, allowing it more autonomy than other Indian states. Under the Indian constitution, Jammu and Kashmir is a state, and went to the poll as a state. Delhi says that both countries will "settle their differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations". India has, many a times, maintained that Kashmir dispute is a bilateral issue and must be settled through bilateral negotiations as per Simla Agreement, 1972 and thus, had denied any third party intervention even that of United Nations.

 

India and Pakistan have thrice gone to war over the territory, in 1947, 1965 and 1971. In 1971, India and Pakistan fought again over Bangladeshi independence, and during this time there was also some conflict between the two sides in Kashmir. 

 

And in the summer of 1999, the two countries came to brink of another war after Pakistani-backed forces infiltrated Indian-controlled Kashmir. A bitter two-month conflict along the line of control only ended when Pakistani forces withdrew. 

 

Presently, roughly one third of the Western part of Kashmir is administered by Pakistan. Most of the remainder is under Indian control. The insurgency in Indian-administered Kashmir began around  1989.  Since then India has constantly maintained that Pakistan has been training and supplying weapons to militant separatists while Pakistan insists it only offers them moral support. However, proofs establish the fact that Kashmiri extremists were cherished by Pakistan and in Pakistan (https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › India–Pakistan_relations).

 

PEACE ATTEMPTS 

 

In spite of three major wars and numerous armed conflicts as well as military standoffs, there have been several attempts to improve the relationship like Shimla summit, Agra summit and Lahore summit. There were some confidence building measures by both countries. For example, 2003 ceasefire agreement and the Delhi-Lahore bus service inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his counterpart Parvez Musharaff. However, 2001 India Parliament attack, the 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings and recent Pulwama and Balakot incidents and Indian surgical strikes were responsible for sustaining tensions between both countries. During the tenure of Indian PM Narendra Modi and Pakistani PM Nawaz Shariff, bilateral discussions again stalled after the 2016 Pathankot attack. Further, the attack on an Indian military base in Indian administered Kashmir sparked a military confrontation across the Line of Control (LOC) with an escalation of tension and ceasefire violation by both sides and further militant attack on Indian security forces.

 

During the turmoil in Kashmir and during attacks and counter attacks, Indian military troops killed Hizbul commander Burhan Wani (who was also a resident of Indian Kashmir) resulted to mass agitation by Kashmiri people. Pakistan’s Imran Khan elected as PM of Pakistan following general election there on 2018 and offered dialogue with India, but India turned down the proposal of peace talks saying that terrorism and peace talks cannot be done simultaneously.

 

Recently, India's BJP government abolished Article 370 from Kashmir which previously provided Kashmir a high degree of autonomy status and made Kasmir a union territory. This decision of India draws agitation of Kashmiris and a new matter of conflict between India and Pakistan and resulted conflict of the two neighbour countries at every international forum (https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Indo-Pakistani_wars_and_conflicts).

 

THE NUCLEAR RACE

 

India first began building its own nuclear weapons in the mid-1960s, after China began nuclear tests. In 1974, India conducted its first nuclear test-the so called “Smiling Buddha” in the Rajasthan desert. 

 

A few years later, Pakistan  began  to  develop  its  own programme of Nuclear weapons. Both countries were also developing and testing both short-range and intermediate-range missiles. 

 

In April 1998, Pakistan finally tested its new Ghauri intermediate-range nuclear missile, named after a 12th century Muslim warrior who conquered part of India. This test is thought to have prompted India’s nuclear tests the following month. 

 

On May 11 1998, India announced it had conducted three underground tests at Pokhran in the northern state of Rajasthan. Two days later it announced that another two explosions had taken place. India’s actions were widely condemned by the international community and Pakistan was urged not to retaliate. But on May 28, Pakistan announced that it had conducted five nuclear tests of its own in south-western Baluchistan. 

 

However, the nuclear tests by India and Pakistan were widely criticized throughout the world, and also led to the imposition by some countries of sanctions. But despite strong international pressure, neither side has so far signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty or the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › India–Pakistan_relations)

 

India-Pakistan relationship makes a new twist since year 2014 to till date as Narendra Modi took office as Indian PM at 2014 and after that, Imran Khan elected as Pakistani PM.

 

(1) On May 27, 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds talks with Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in New Delhi. Both sides express willingness to begin a new era of bilateral relations. 

(2) At year 2015, Indian PM Narendra Modi took a surprise visit to Pakistan to attend the wedding of the former Pak PM Nawaz Shariff's grand-daughter. But eventually nothing much obtained by the countries as an outcome of it.

(3) At 2016, India launches what it calls "surgical strikes" on "terrorist units" in Pakistan-administered Kashmir in September, less than two weeks after an attack on an Indian army base leaves 19 soldiers dead. Pakistan denies the attacks that took place.

(4) In November, seven Indian soldiers were killed after rebels disguised as policemen storm a major army camp near Pakistan border.

(5) At 2019, in the early hours of February 26, India conducts air strikes against what it calls Pakistan-based rebel group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM)’s biggest training camp at Balakot, killing a very large number of terrorists. This was done as a revenge of Pulwama attack where approximately 60 army soldiers were killed by a car-bomb suicide attack on one army truck few days back.

(6) On 5th August 2019, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah announced abolition of article 370 from Kashmir and withdrew its special status as a state. This sparked a major point of conflict between India and Pakistan as Pakistan mentioned to extend their moral support to Kashmir.

(7) Other than the mentioned major events, firing and killing of soldiers of both India and Pakistan by both sides seems to be a daily news at India-Pakistan border of Kashmir (https://www.aljazeera.com › kashmirtheforgottenconflict › 2011/06).

 

TRUST RELATIONSHIP: HOW IT CAN WORK BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN OR ANY OTHER COUNTRIES

 

This kind of relationship can be implemented between two countries/nations. If any two countries enter into the ‘Trust Relationship’ pact, then the inhabitants of both countries can enjoy some better facilities from each other, by governed and authorized by both the governments of the countries and this can lead both countries towards a great step of world peace.

 

For example, say the Trust Relationship pact was signed by both India and Pakistan. As an outcome of the pact, both countries can send a number of their citizens to the neighbour country for facilitation of Treatment, Education, Business, Travel or Entertainment purposes. But as they come to the other country as a part of Trust Relationship pact, they need not to be harassed by long process of Passport and Visa processing, instead they can identify themselves by an identity card issued by their own country. Their personal as well as professional details and purpose of travel to other country may only be recorded by their destination country. This way, the people of each country can go to other country without having any red tapeism of immigration. 

 

If this pact is signed and succeeded, as a direct impact of this, both countries can open some Trust Corridors through which they can send their citizens to the other country. 

 

As an indirect impact of this, a free and broad Economic and Trading zone can be inaugurated between the countries. This pact also can reduce the weapon competition as the Trust Relationship pact will be based on the lifestyle improvement and facilitation of the common people of each country and much more dependent on humanity rather than politics. 

 

This way, not only India and Pakistan, but such pact can be made by any two or more countries for lasting peace and economic development. The bright examples are China’s Belt and Road initiative, CPEC, North and South Korea treaty and US, Mexico and Canada treaty.

 

Such types of multilateralism are for cooperation and mutual collaboration and coordination. This can easily bring lasting peace for the concerned countries where  nations or countries will act as a trusted partner of other country.

 

TRUST RELATIONSHIP: DIRECT AND INDIRECT IMPACT

 

If any two or more countries come under ‘Trust Relationship’ pact, the effect of that can go a long way. As a result of it, a new door will be opened in actual words, which will have direct impact on the defence rules of the concerned countries. As an outcome of it, it will have cost reduction at defence areas of the concerned countries. Due to increase of mutual trust, the border army and weapons will be reduced. Instead of going in the path of distrust, going in the way of trust will minimize the defence cost and will put less pressure on the government fund of a country. The money saved from the defence cost will enrich the economy of the concerned countries. 

 

‘Trust Relationship’ can inaugurate a broad and free economic zone of the concerned countries. As due to the mutual trust increasing step measure theory can open one or more Trust Corridors of the concerned countries, the economy of the countries will also pass through that corridor and will cause more frequent visits of the students, travellers, businessmen, patients, pilgrims and job-seekers of the concerned countries from one to another. This will facilitate the economical enrichment of any common inhabitant of the concerned countries. 

 

Trust Relationship pact can bring a major breakthrough in favour of Peace Movement between India and Pakistan and can be regarded as unique solution for the long lasting peace between two countries as per the points mentioned in the following. 

 

(1) There were some peace making attempts made by both countries in recent past. For the first time in almost sixty years, bus service was resumed across the heavily militarized line of control, which separates India-controlled Kashmir from Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. They have started bus routes across the disputed Kashmir region, restored train services after five decades and increased trade. In the most recent talks, the two countries discussed setting up a second bus link across the line of control, connecting Kargil, India to Skardu, Pakistan and also a truck link between Srinagar, India and Muzzafrabad, in Pakistan Kashmir. But still it needs to make it easier for the citizens of both the countries to travel safely across the heavily guarded border, which can only possible if the countries can establish some permanent Trust Corridors at the border-line through which they can send their  citizens  to  the  other  country.  

 

This can only cause more frequent visits of the students, travellers, businessmen, patients, pilgrims and job-seekers of the concerned countries from one to another. 

(2) Despite of several peace talks and attempts like Bajpayee-Musharaff and Nawaz-Modi meeting, still the citizens of both countries face many obstacles to go to the neighbour country because of red tapeism of immigration and due to the long processing time of their visas. In fact, to overcome the hurdle of immigration from one to another country is more difficult even to go to any other country (other than India and Pakistan) because of tight security measures imposed by both countries. The origin of such heavy security measures actually comes from distrust. But if the Trust Relationship pact gets signed by both India and Pakistan, then the citizens of each country can travel to the other country as a part of Trust Relationship pact and need not to be harassed by long Visa processing, instead they can identify themselves by an identity card issued by their own country. Their background check would be done by their own country and will not get harassed unnecessarily by the long verification process by the other country. As discussed earlier, their details only would get recorded by the other country. This way, the people of each country can go to the other country without having any red tapeism of immigration.

(3) Though some initiatives were taken to enhance trade between India and Pakistan through Rail and Truck link, but those were not adequate. As an indirect impact of the Trust Relationship pact, a free and broad trading zone can be inaugurated between the countries. As due to the mutual trust increasing step measure theory can open one or more Trust Corridors of the concerned countries, the economy of the countries will also pass through that corridor and will cause more frequent visits of people of different categories from one to another. This will facilitate the economical enrichment of any common inhabitant of the concerned countries. 

(4) In Pakistan, Pakistani Government is not only the centre of power of the whole country. Rather there are several centres of power or faces of power in the hands of ISI (Pakistani Secret Service Group), Pak radical leaders and Pak military forces who are called as ‘non-state actors’. These ‘non-state actors’ are engaged to disrupt the dialogue process between the Pakistani Government (state-actor) and Indian Government and resort in Indian territory. As a result, the peace-making process between two neighbour countries gets halted several times. 

(5) But through ‘Trust Relationship’ process, there would be zero chance of Pakistani non-state actors to disrupt peacemaking process as Trust Relationship will strengthen the hands of both governments only. As an outcome of Trust Relationship, both governments will send the people of their choice only to the other country. If the two governments trust each other, they will accept the people from other country who are sent by the government  bodies  of the neighbour country only. There would be no chance for terrorists to resort violence or terror attacks as they would be rejected by their own country’s government at the time of their background checking and there would not be any scope for them to mix with the groups of people coming to the other country as an outcome of Trust Relationship pact. 

(6) Very recently, India and Pakistan established corridor to send Sikh pilgrims through Kartarpur corridor from India to Pakistan, which connects Indian Punjab state with Pakistani Punjab. This is also, as per the description, nothing but a trust corridor and visa-free travel as mentioned at Trust Relationship (https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › India–Pakistan_relations).

 

EXAMPLE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF TRUST RELATIONSHIP THEORY

 

This ‘Trust Relationship’ theory is actually the foundation of China’s Belt and Road initiative. China’s Belt and Road initiative is a bright and live example of my ‘Trust Relationship’ theory, where China is getting connected with many Asian, European and African countries through Rail, Road or Sea routes. 

 

China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is also a key part under China’s Belt and Road initiative. Here, China is connected with Pakistan through Road and Railways and contribute several projects at Pakistan. CPEC started from China’s Xinjiang and ended at Pakistan’s Gwadar port. There are several energy sector projects; Roadways, Railways, different Infrastructures and Special Economic Zone Projects are being operated in Pakistan under CPEC. CPEC not only connects Pakistan’s Gwadar and Karachi with Northern Pakistan, but also connects Western China and Central Asia. CPEC valued several billions of dollars and will not only cater the economic uplift of Pakistan, but also creates millions of job s across China and Pakistan. As a whole, China’s Belt and Road is indeed a very interesting turnpoint of world economy and will create huge jobs across several Asian countries, Europe and Africa. This is a very salient and live example of multilateralism based on ‘Trust Relationship’ and related implementation of ‘Trust Corridors’. Such corridors not only flourish economic development of each concerned countries, but also helps to reduce political tension and chances of war of the concerned countries.

 

Recently, Kartarpur corridor established from Indian Punjab province to Pakistani Punjab for Sikh pilgrims. This is a bright example of peace making process by two countries. Such type of corridors obviously work for regional peace, integrity and economic prosperity among 

nations (https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Belt_and_Road_Initiative).]

 

My theory of ‘Trust Relationship’ is an ideal  phenomenon to be practiced by nations. Obviously, there are lots of hurdles to overcome to reach to such a position. There are potentials of a lot of interests by world leaders, superpowers and nationalist states which might become a barrier to reach such an ideal condition. A lot of distrusts, nationalism, sovereignty, terrorism, and state backed oppression are there which are originated by many state actors. There are also fears of colonial developments and spread of military powers by big powers in relatively small nations. Hence those may be called as political interests which leads to distrust and lack of effective dialogue and interest towards normalization of relations. 

 

Other than aforementioned political barriers, there are also economic concerns for and against this idea. What I tried to explain throughout my research paper is the gains of economic imports and exports through Trust Corridors for well being of all concerned nations. But against it, there are also fears of debt burden, loosing home business and productions, inequality of economic conditions of neighbour states, losing the field of weapon sale, and loosing of monopoly business of several industrial bodies due to the broader inauguration of free economic zone also always try to obstruct such initiatives (https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › India–Pakistan_relations). 

 

A common Indian is not a foe of a common Pakistani or any other common person of any country. Trust Relationship will definitely widen the possibility of such track two initiatives and also culture exchange to enrich each nation’s culture and people-to-people contact. But often it was observed that the voice of a common man is suppressed by political agenda by State Actors. Sometimes nationalist leaders and their followers create barriers for aforesaid political and economical open connection just to keep intact their Power and Vote bank. Other than those, there are concerns like war on terror and freedom fighting on some particular territory like Kashmir keeps a huge distance between two nations’ interests and increase conflict rather than reducing and normalizing it. By overcoming such hurdles through normalization can lead to the warm path of ‘Trust Relationship’ (Sanjay et al., 2016). 

 

The example of global fraternity was already been developed by the wise people of the world. As per example, the East and West Germany of Europe, European Union, they have all forgotten their partitions and been united as one country. Likewise, we, the India and Pakistan and even China can follow the footsteps of their hiking. So that we can also be united forgetting the border problem, language problem and military problem for the greater interest of the human being. This way not only India, but also any other country in the world can maintain a good relationship with their neighbour countries. India  also  can  maintain  a  steady  and  warm  relationship with other neighbour countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, etc. 

 

Lastly, it can be concluded that, the common people will get hospitality instead of strict rules of red tapeism of immigration if this theory of peace is implemented. 

 

Politics and defence rules will get rid of its narrowness and the economies also will breadth in a new and open air.