2019 Pulwama attack
2019 CE
The 2019 Pulwama attack occurred on 14 February 2019, when a convoy of vehicles carrying Indian security personnel on the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway was attacked by a vehicle-borne suicide bomber at Lethapora in the Pulwama district of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. The attack killed 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel as well as the perpetrator — Adil Ahmad Dar— who was a local Kashmiri youth from the Pulwama district. The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Pakistan-based Islamist terrorist group, Jaish-e-Mohammed. India blamed neighboring Pakistan for the attack, while the latter condemned the attack and denied having any connections to it. The attack dealt a severe blow to India–Pakistan relations, consequently resulting in the 2019 India–Pakistan military standoff. Subsequently, Indian investigations identified 19 accused. By August 2021, the main accused along with six others had been killed, and seven had been arrested.
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Upper South Asia (2008–2019 CE): Democratic Shifts, Geopolitical Struggles, and Regional Challenges
India: Economic Expansion and Nationalist Politics
India entered this era grappling with the aftermath of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, responding with stimulus measures under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government, which mitigated some economic distress. However, corruption scandals, including the 2G spectrum case (2010), eroded public trust, contributing to the historic electoral victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under Narendra Modi in 2014.
Modi championed initiatives such as Make in India, Digital India, and the implementation of a nationwide Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2017. Politically, India experienced heightened nationalism and controversy surrounding communal tensions, particularly after the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir (2019), integrating it fully into India but prompting widespread debate and unrest.
Pakistan: Democratic Continuity and Political Turmoil
In Pakistan, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government under Asif Ali Zardari (2008–2013) struggled with economic instability, terrorism, and catastrophic flooding (2010). The subsequent 2013 elections brought Nawaz Sharif and his Pakistan Muslim League (N) to power, who pursued infrastructure development, notably through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Sharif’s tenure ended abruptly after his disqualification over corruption allegations following the Panama Papers (2017). In 2018, former cricket icon Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won elections, pledging reforms and accountability amid significant economic and security challenges.
Afghanistan: Persistent Conflict and Political Instability
Afghanistan continued to endure chronic instability despite significant international intervention. President Hamid Karzai (2004–2014) gave way to Ashraf Ghani after disputed elections (2014). The Afghan government grappled with intensifying Taliban insurgency, widespread corruption, and persistent violence.
NATO formally ended combat operations in 2014, transitioning security responsibilities to Afghan forces. However, Taliban control and influence steadily expanded, prompting the beginning of formal peace negotiations between the Taliban and the United States in 2018–19, laying the foundation for future agreements.
Bangladesh: Economic Growth Amidst Authoritarian Trends
Bangladesh, under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League, experienced rapid economic growth, driven largely by its textile industry and infrastructure investment. However, economic success was shadowed by increasing authoritarian governance, suppression of dissent, and accusations of electoral manipulation (2014, 2018 elections).
The Rohingya refugee crisis (2017), triggered by violence in Myanmar, strained Bangladesh’s humanitarian resources and international relations, as over 700,000 refugees fled into Bangladesh, creating a major humanitarian and diplomatic challenge.
Nepal: Democratic Stabilization and Reconstruction
Nepal solidified its transition to a secular, federal republic with the promulgation of a new constitution (2015). However, this was followed closely by the devastating April 2015 earthquake, requiring massive reconstruction efforts. The subsequent electoral victory of the communist coalition (2017) under K.P. Sharma Oli brought relative political stability and encouraged infrastructure development.
Bhutan: Strengthening Democratic Institutions
Bhutan consolidated its fledgling democracy, successfully holding peaceful elections in 2013 and 2018. Under King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the nation continued emphasizing sustainable economic practices and its unique policy of Gross National Happiness (GNH), balancing modernization with cultural preservation.
Northwestern Myanmar: Intensified Conflicts and Humanitarian Crises
In Myanmar’s northwestern regions (Kachin, Sagaing, Chin, and especially northern Rakhine), ethnic conflicts intensified. Renewed clashes between the Myanmar military and groups such as the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) escalated after 2011. The 2017 Rohingya crisis, involving widespread persecution and displacement, severely impacted regional stability, leading to a mass exodus into Bangladesh and India.
Geopolitical Dynamics and Regional Relations
Tensions between India and Pakistan persisted, notably during the Mumbai attacks (2008), frequent border skirmishes along the Line of Control (LoC), and renewed crises following the Pulwama attack and subsequent Balakot airstrike (2019).
Chinese influence markedly expanded in the region through infrastructure projects, most notably via CPEC in Pakistan, reshaping geopolitical alignments and strategic calculus.
India’s enhanced regional diplomacy saw deeper engagement with ASEAN under its Act East policy, alongside persistent but periodically stalled initiatives within SAARC.
Technological and Cultural Transformation
Rapid technological proliferation reshaped Northern South Asia, with widespread adoption of mobile technology, digital communication, and economic digitization. India emerged prominently as a global IT hub, driving significant economic growth and digital innovation.
Socially, movements advocating women's rights and gender equality intensified, particularly in urban India and Bangladesh, in response to high-profile gender violence incidents and broader societal debates. The region also saw rapid urbanization, influencing youth culture and societal expectations.
Legacy of the Era
From 2008 to 2019, Upper South Asia witnessed significant shifts, marked by India's assertive economic expansion and nationalist realignment, Pakistan’s complex democratic trajectory, Afghanistan's ongoing conflict and negotiation efforts, Bangladesh’s economic rise and governance challenges, Nepal’s recovery from crisis, Bhutan’s steady democratic evolution, and Myanmar’s humanitarian crisis spilling over borders. These years profoundly reshaped the political landscape, influencing national identities, international relations, and socioeconomic structures, setting crucial precedents for future developments.