Who Won the India-Pakistan Wars — And What Did It Cost?

May 04, 2025 Komal Das Plus

India and Pakistan have fought four wars since 1947, each ending with one side claiming victory, but none bringing lasting peace

[{"selector":"#anim-9d496cf9-1c97-4033-915e-316bf9a62f26 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5dbe396c-1dc8-412a-b8f7-d852aee1a98c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-84e65457-b9c7-4137-b3c6-0c41af31bb6d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5a5a0755-2b9a-4513-ab11-757da9cc6229","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fca28a03-cd55-43f4-8ab4-39482f47ac81","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Plus

The 1947–48 war resulted in India controlling most of Kashmir, but Pakistan retained one-third of it, and Kashmir became a frozen conflict

[{"selector":"#anim-938d18bc-6544-4838-a32a-aae828025726 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3df0d04f-dd82-41ab-8caa-721e0874cd3b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-96826b58-43a5-48e2-a4b1-831ee3e22d7d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9b94764d-b57d-4004-9b1a-943a3ab7f6b3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-85a3f3c0-77d8-4b10-b3b2-203fda1d7541","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Plus

The 1965 war ended in a stalemate with no significant territorial change, but both sides claimed victory. Over 6,000 soldiers died

[{"selector":"#anim-f6283dbf-6f37-4a78-9ca1-007f8a07793a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-5.291437107603365%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c7d467f0-7321-4cf6-bb69-bfc73b8644e1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-829b3987-059b-4e2b-a96b-29cce9c73709","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-42e0314e-a32b-4aaf-a89e-218c9fe33efa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-67f5c526-75ad-4afb-9f94-0ac1c124dba2","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Plus

The 1971 war led to India's decisive victory, resulting in the creation of Bangladesh and the surrender of 93,000 Pakistani soldiers

[{"selector":"#anim-6fbadddb-3d9d-4bda-b764-d6894874e420 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9dd5582d-296d-4ce0-99e3-f1206e32fabc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-36cb3453-66ba-4f26-9d3f-a61fc109fd76","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-64c4ebed-d19b-4054-ad86-bea44cd50ba2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2d9f8ff0-00a4-4d11-9e1c-c1b68704547f","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Plus

The 1999 Kargil war saw India regain control of occupied territory, but Pakistan’s military exposure and internal instability followed

[{"selector":"#anim-bc06d44e-4fff-4e39-aad9-3f32f25e38ec [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-36a6d545-6a4a-4577-aaa9-a2896951efd4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-794fca44-22ce-455e-8dfe-010d604d9dde","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-735af9c3-7c50-42a5-926f-190deede18cf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6c1ac10f-d729-4185-b912-6f3510d091cb","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Plus

The wars caused tens of thousands of deaths, refugee crises, and massive financial costs, which affected development and stability

[{"selector":"#anim-b80ab775-326f-4531-986a-dabedf2d36f6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-09b16798-5453-4ded-8691-1d97f715a112","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7a3845e4-6a6e-4e88-9264-ac9ec2868622","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-90b70bfa-6e0b-40a6-b88f-31a2db3b07f9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-154942f3-c2ca-4807-aa4c-bed650579568","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Plus

Kashmir remains a heavily militarized and politicized dispute, with no progress in diplomatic resolution

[{"selector":"#anim-fc1e3f41-4364-4d63-9c93-709431e4c779 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-9.300463298696926%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-de1443af-9a1f-4321-8628-9ebe81597b28","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b8437a54-5fcf-49dd-b394-73013b29eb50","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a2259968-b30c-4a21-87ce-37e0b759300d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f2efce21-adbe-4883-a4f9-e8bff42704ad","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Plus

Current Standoff: Pahalgam Terror Attack (2025): The 2025 Pahalgam attack has triggered a volatile situation, with both India and Pakistan on high alert

[{"selector":"#anim-4df1c9b4-6b37-4ee5-829f-4230deaa9417 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(5.2597401998005395%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d1db3029-050b-4d78-930e-053da344fee6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-949d2d50-0131-4d51-b3e9-4f6a708fa2d7","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-44152638-5668-4c51-bc71-19628d4a3263","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-49493e5e-1195-42ab-b40f-261f43448ae2","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Plus

Read More From Nuclear Blackmail to Seene pe War: PM Modi’s Operation Sindoor Highlights Kashmir Conflict: What Trump Said and Why India Said No India Becomes First Nation to Target Nuclear-Backed Airbase Traditional Indian Art Forms: A Journey Through Heritage