Operation Sindoor and the Geopolitics of Kashmir: Strategic Competition and Regional Security in South Asia

Abstract

This study scrutinizes the evolving strategic worth of Kashmir within the broader geopolitical dynamics of India-Pakistan relations, using Operation Sindoor and its aftermath as an analytical lens. Operation Sindoor, though limited in scope, suffice to reveal that how military maneuvers, strategic posturing, and political narratives continue to redesign the regional security milieu. The study argues that the Kashmir conflict is not merely a bilateral territorial dispute but a strategic threat where geography, identity, and power converge to influence regional stability. The aftershock of the operation exposed the delicacy of diplomatic channels thereby revealing that India and Pakistan are trapped in deterrence-based stability rather than substantive conflict resolution. The findings suggest that while nuclear deterrence and international pressure reduce the likelihood of full-scale war, they do not address the structural and political drivers of conflict in Kashmir. The peace in South Asia remains contingent on political will, sustained dialogue, and recognition of Kashmir as both a human and geopolitical landscape. This study concludes that without addressing underlying political grievances and recalibrating strategic priorities, Kashmir will continue to function as the strategic pivot around which the future of India–Pakistan relations.