The United Nations Security Council serves as the principal global body tasked with maintaining international peace and security. To enforce these principles, the Security Council has the authority to pass binding resolutions that all members are obliged to comply with; this includes imposing economic sanctions and deploying peacekeeping troops. This year, the Security Council will function uniquely by using a perceptual moderated caucus, where delegates can constantly propose directives in response to the crisis, and the dais will update that situation accordingly. There will still be 5 permanent UN members that yield veto power and 10 non-permanent nations elected by the General Assembly for a two-year term. 

October 22, 1947 marks the beginning of a major political event in South Asia that will last for years to come. Lord Mountbatten, governor-general of British India, agreed to withdraw from the Indian continent, and a border between India and the newly-created state of Pakistan had already been established. However, Jammu and Kashmir still remained as a disputed region ; although a referendum was promised to decide on whether to join India, Pakistan, or remain independent, war quickly broke out between the two countries to gain territory and political dominance. The Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 separates Kashmir into 2 main regions: one area controlled by India and one area controlled by Pakistan. In 1962, Pakistan’s ally, China,also gained a portion of Kashmir after a war with India, and from there onwards, tensions remained high between India and the Pakistan-China coalition. 

Insurgencies and protests are widely common in the Kashmir region, and after India revoked Article 370 in 2019, Kashmir’s autonomy was severely restricted. Through heavy Indian military presence, it seemed like everything would be back to normal and stable. 

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The world spoke too soon, and on February 14, 2019, a car packed with explosives rams into a military convoy in Kashmir, claiming the lives of more than 40 Indian soldiers. While India was quick to blame Pakistan for backing the terror attack, Pakistan denied any involvement in the suicide bombing. Everyone was watching as India vowed to retaliate. 

Twelve days later, on February 26, 2019, Indian warplanes launched airstrikes on Pakistan for the first time since five decades, claiming to have struck a larger militant training camp. The next day, Pakistan retaliates with its own airstrikes on India, shooting down a plane and taking one pilot prisoner. Although the Indian pilot was released, tensions remained high between the two countries, and the two countries had reached the closest ever to nuclear war. Fortunately, with mounting international pressure India and Pakistan signed a peace agreement on March 22, 2019, vowing to end the hostilities. 

Little did the world know that it was only a matter of time before the conflict would worsen again. On June 10, 2024, suspected militants opened fire on a bus carrying pilgrims in Jammu, killing 10 people. Immediately afterwards, attacks on military facilities and villages intensified in Jammu, prompting an increased deployment of the Indian Armed Forces to combat the terror threat. As the world watches closely, all eyes are on the UN to prevent the Kashmir conflict from spiraling out of control.

• Given that both India, Pakistan, and China have large quantities of nuclear weapons, how can nations in the Security Council ensure that the conflict does not escalate into a nuclear crisis? 

• What policies should be brought up for discussion in order to maximize the nations’ prosperity and protection of civilians?

• To what extent should foreign intervention or UN peacekeeping missions play a role in establishing peace in Kashmir? 

• Guerrilla warfare has become very prominent in Kashmir by insurgent groups, especially in India where the authorities claim Pakistan and China are backing them. How will nations address the issue of non-state actors interrupting the negotiation process through armed violence? 

Kashmir Timeline

Article 370 revocation

Global Conflict Tracker on Kashmir

Is the United Nations Still Relevant for Kashmir?

A Look into the Conflict Between India and Pakistan over Kashmir

The Logic of Third Party Mediation over Kashmir