The orientalist spoke about the historical roots of the conflict between India and Pakistan

The difficult relations between India and Pakistan are conditioned by history. Tatiana Shaumyan, Head of the Center for Indian Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Izvestia on May 7.

She recalled that since the emergence of these two independent states as a result of the partition of British India in 1947, an uneasy relationship between New Delhi and Islamabad had begun.

"The first conflict was in 1947-1949, there was a conflict in 1965. The next armed conflict was quite serious — in 1971, as a result of which Pakistan was defeated and lost part of its territory. The Republic of Bangladesh was formed. Historically, this is a rather difficult set of circumstances," Shahumyan said.

The expert also stressed that it would depend on the parties to the conflict to what extent they would listen to signals of de-escalation coming from outside.

"External forces must play a role here, which, it seems to me, are not interested in the escalation of this conflict," the orientalist concluded.

The first act of war: India and Pakistan exchanged missile strikes

The whole world is following the conflict between the two nuclear powers

On May 7, the Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor, during which they carried out nine attacks on Pakistan's terrorist infrastructure, as well as on a part of the territory of Jammu and Kashmir controlled by the country. Pakistan retaliated.

According to the Pakistani Samaa TV channel, the country's air force shot down three Indian fighter jets, including two Rafale aircraft. According to Geo News channel, 26 civilians were killed and 46 others were injured as a result of Operation Sindoor in Pakistan. India claims 10 dead and 48 injured as a result of Islamabad's actions.

On the same day, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry announced that the two nuclear-weapon states were approaching a major conflict amid the "reckless actions" of the Indian side.