What Would India Do If Pakistan Plunges Into Civil War

How Will India Respond To Civil War In Pakistan? -- Sunil Dasgupta, East Asia Forum/UMBC and Brookings Institution

In 1971, India intervened militarily on behalf of Bengalis in the civil war in East Pakistan, dividing the country in two and helping to create Bangladesh.

In 2013, prospects of another civil war in Pakistan — this time one that pits radical Islamists against the secular but authoritarian military — have led once again to questions about what India would do. What would trigger Indian intervention, and who would India support?

In the context of a civil war between Islamists and the army in Pakistan, it is hard to imagine Pakistani refugees streaming into India and triggering intervention as the Bengalis did in 1971. Muslim Pakistanis do not see India as a refuge, and Taliban fighters are likely to seek refuge in Afghanistan, especially if the United States leaves the region.

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My Comment: I agree with the author's conclusion that if Pakistan plunges into a sectarian civil war .... India would prefer to stay out. But the problem is .... and will be .... Pakistan's nuclear weapons and WMDs. If radical Jihadists are on the verge of seizing these .... staying on the sidelines may not be an option for India .... or for anyone else including the U.S..