Kashmir has been a flashpoint since Imperial Britain divided India in 1947.  India and Pakistan have fought numerous wars and conflicts over majority Muslim Kashmir.  China controls a big chunk of northern Kashmir known as Aksai Chin.

In 1949, the UN mandated a referendum to determine if Kashmiris wanted to join Pakistan or India.  Not surprisingly, India refused to hold the vote.  But there are some Kashmiris who want an independent state, though a majority seek to join Pakistan.

India claims that most of northern Pakistan is actually part of Kashmir, which it claims in full.  India rules the largest part of Kashmir, formerly a princely state. Pakistan holds a smaller portion, known as Azad Kashmir.  In my book on Kashmir, 'War at the Top of the World,' I called it 'the globe's most dangerous conflict.'  It remains so today.