Britain backed ‘Kashmir-in-Pakistan’ for strategic gains, reveals new ICPS paper

By Jag Jivan*

A new paper published by the Indian Council of Political Studies (ICPS) presents fresh evidence to argue that Britain deliberately shaped the partition of India and Kashmir’s fate to advance its own imperial interests. Titled “Partition by Design: ‘Kashmir-in-Pakistan’ in the British Strategic Chessboard”, the detailed account by Amit Krishankant Paul reveals a concerted British effort in 1947 to create Pakistan as a pro-Western Islamic buffer state aligned against the Soviet Union — with Kashmir envisioned as part of that strategy.

“The paper challenges conventional narratives around partition and exposes how British priorities in Palestine, the Cold War, and imperial military logistics dictated their approach to South Asia,” said Paul.

Quoting from official documents and personal communications of key British figures, the paper demonstrates how Winston Churchill described Pakistan as “the keystone of the strategic arch of the Indian Ocean” and part of a broader Islamic arc — stretching from Turkey to the Indian subcontinent — to contain Soviet ambitions.

It details how top British military and administrative officials — including Mountbatten, Auchinleck, Messervy, Cunningham and William Brown — played “interventionist roles” in ensuring Kashmir’s eventual accession to Pakistan, or at the very least, retaining strategic regions like Gilgit under pro-British control.

“If you accede to Pakistan… it will not cause any ill feeling but they will give you all the support and help they can,” Mountbatten told the Maharaja of Kashmir, as per the paper. He later confessed, “I wanted Kashmir to join Pakistan… I didn’t want to muck up my own creation.”

Among the most striking revelations is the role of the British in the rebellion of the Gilgit Scouts. Major William Brown, a British officer, handed over Gilgit to Pakistan in November 1947 and was later awarded the MBE by His Majesty’s Government for this move. The paper concludes this was no accident, but a strategic manoeuvre aligned with British interests.

The author notes, “British actions in Kashmir and Gilgit during this phase were not simply remnants of a decolonizing empire but reflected a well-orchestrated plan to engineer outcomes that would preserve its post-imperial strategic architecture.”

Drawing from a wide range of sources, the paper contends that Britain’s bias toward Pakistan stemmed not only from the loyalty of Muslim soldiers during World War II but also from realpolitik — access to bases, ports, and overflight rights in Pakistan were seen as essential to Britain's influence in the Indian Ocean and the wider Muslim world.

The ICPS publication adds to a growing body of scholarship seeking to reassess the role of external powers in the subcontinent’s partition, and in shaping the Kashmir conflict — not as a bilateral India-Pakistan issue alone, but as a geopolitical legacy rooted in Cold War alignments.

---

*Freelance writer

Comments

Sumeet Chopra said…

The beauty of a Kashmir Tour Package is truly unmatched, offering breathtaking landscapes, peaceful valleys, and unforgettable experiences. From serene shikara rides on Dal Lake to the snowy charm of Gulmarg and the lush meadows of Pahalgam, every moment feels magical. A well-planned kashmir tour package from srinagar ensures comfortable stays, smooth transfers, and complete sightseeing, making your Himalayan holiday truly memorable.

March 02, 2026

Academics urge Azim Premji University to drop FIR against Student Reading Circle

By A Representative A group of academics and civil society members has issued an open letter to the leadership of Azim Premji University expressing concern over the filing of a police complaint that led to an FIR against a student-run reading circle following a recent incident of violence on campus. The signatories state that they hold the university in high regard for its commitment to constitutional values, critical inquiry and ethical public engagement, and argue that it is precisely because of this reputation that the present development is troubling.

Was Netaji forced to alter face, die in obscurity in USSR in 1975? Was he so meek?

By Rajiv Shah This should sound almost hilarious. Not only did Subhas Chandra Bose not die in a plane crash in Taipei, nor was he the mysterious Gumnami Baba who reportedly passed away on 16 September 1985 in Ayodhya, but we are now told that he actually died in 1975—date unknown—“in oblivion” somewhere in the former Soviet Union. Which city? Moscow? No one seems to know.

UAPA action against Telangana activist: Criminalising legitimate democratic activity?

By A Representative The National Investigation Agency's Hyderabad branch has issued notices to more than ten individuals in Telangana in connection with FIR No. RC-04/2025. Those served include activists, former student leaders, civil rights advocates, poets, writers, retired schoolteachers, and local leaders associated with the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Indian National Congress.

The ultimate all-time ODI XI: A personal selection of icons across eras

By Harsh Thakor* This is my all-time best XI chosen for ODI (One Day International) cricket: 1. Adam Gilchrist (W) – The absolute master blaster who could create the impact of exploding gunpowder with his electrifying strokeplay. No batsman was more intimidating in his era. Often his knocks decided the fate of games as though the result were premeditated. He escalated batting strike rates to surreal realms.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Aligning too closely with U.S., allies, India’s silence on IRIS Dena raises troubling questions

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The reported sinking of the Iranian ship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka raises troubling questions about international norms and the credibility of the so-called rule-based order. If indeed the vessel was attacked by the American Navy while returning from a joint exercise in Visakhapatnam, it would represent a serious breach of trust and a violation of the principles that govern such cooperative engagements. Warships participating in these exercises are generally not armed for combat; they are meant to symbolize solidarity and friendship. The incident, therefore, is not only shocking but also deeply ironic.

Asbestos contamination in children’s products highlights global oversight gaps

By A Representative A commentary published by the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS) has drawn attention to the challenges governments face in responding effectively to global public-health risks. In an article written by Laurie Kazan-Allen and published on March 5, 2026, the author examines how the discovery of asbestos contamination in children’s play products has raised questions about regulatory oversight and international product safety. The article opens by reflecting on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that governments in several countries were slow to respond to early warning signs of the crisis. Referring to the experience of the United Kingdom, the author writes that delays in implementing protective measures contributed to “232,112 recorded deaths and over a million people suffering from long Covid.” The commentary uses this example to illustrate what it describes as the dangers of underestimating emerging threats. Attention then turns...

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

The kitchen as prison: A feminist elegy for domestic slavery

By Garima Srivastava* Kumar Ambuj stands as one of the most incisive voices in contemporary Hindi poetry. His work, stripped of ornamentation, speaks directly to the lived realities of India’s marginalized—women, the rural poor, and those crushed under invisible forms of violence. His celebrated poem “Women Who Cook” (Khānā Banātī Striyāṃ) is not merely about food preparation; it is a searing indictment of patriarchal domestic structures that reduce women’s existence to endless, unpaid labour.

Search This Blog