Indo-Pakistani War of 1947

The Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, also known as the First Kashmir War, began after the partition of British India into India and Pakistan in August 1947. The conflict arose over the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, which was primarily Muslim but ruled by a Hindu Maharaja. Following an invasion by tribal militias from Pakistan, the Maharaja sought military help from India, leading him to accede to India. The war, lasting from October 1947 to January 1949, ended with a United Nations-mediated ceasefire, establishing the Line of Control and leaving Kashmir divided between India and Pakistan, a dispute that persists today.