ABSTRACT
India and Pakistan have shared a relationship of the subcontinent's partition, which is somewhat similar to the relationship between two spouses who are constantly at odds. The situation in the Indian-Pakistani relationship somewhat resembles the tense, uneasy, quiet but peaceful phases. The tensions in Kashmir and Punjab have increased internal pressures within the parliament and within the political setup in India to retaliate against Pakistan. Indians state that they cannot continue allowing Pakistan to bleed them slowly, while they refrain from exercising their option to use their superior military power. In addition, there are tensions between India and Pakistan with regard to another dimension: the nuclear issue. There are other international factors that have a bearing on what is happening in the region. For example, there is the possibility of bombs going astray in Central Asia. Another alarming possibility that worries not only the Indians but also the Pakistanis is the spread of Islamic fundamentalism in the Central Asian republics.
