878 Chapter 6
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (Negotiated)
Fatalities: 1–25 deaths
Narrative: On October 16, 1983, an Indian border patrol attempted to stop Pakistani
military forces from digging trenches in the no man’s land along the Pakistani-Indian
border, in the Himalayan state of Jammu and Kashmir. During these attempts, Indian
troops began to take and return fire, but no one was injured. There was a brief war of
words in early January 1984 with threats and accusations of an Pakistani arms buildup
were made by the Indian government, but relations normalized a bit following the
clash as the two countries reentered diplomatic negotiations to resolve their claims.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from October 20, 1983. Outcome changed from
Unclear. Settlement changed from None.
MID#2642
Dispute Number: 2642
Date(s): June 25, 1984 to October 7, 1985
Participants: 770 Pakistan/750 India
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: 26–100 deaths
Narrative: The ceasefire line agreement between India and Pakistan, revised in
December 1971, did not properly demarcate the area of the Siachin Glacier. This area
is an uninhabitable wasteland for most of the year, and neither country foresaw the
other wanting any part of it. Then, in the mid- to late 1970s, when India began train-
ing troops on the glacier, and Pakistan incorporated it into its own territory on maps,
controversy arose. In 1984, clashes occurred between April and June as Pakistanis
tried to dislodge Indian troops occupying the northern end of the glacier. Pakistani
attempts to drive the Indian force out of the occupied area began again in June 1985
and lasted through October (see MID#2644).
Coding changes: End Date changed from August 30, 1984.
MID#2644
Dispute Number: 2644
Date(s): June 1986 to February 4, 1987
Participants: 750 India/770 Pakistan
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (Negotiated)
Fatalities: 1–25 deaths
Narrative: Fighting renewed on the Siachin Glacier in June 1986 when an exchange
of artillery on the Siachen Glacier left five Pakistani troops dead (see MID#2642 for
earlier fighting). In July both countries increased restrictions on access to their joint
border. After Pakistan and the United States began talks in October with the purpose
of purchasing arms for protection from Afghani incursion, both India and Pakistan
began to amass troops along their border though both also claimed that the troop
deployments were routine military maneuvers. In late December, both countries called
for a troop reduction along the border, and talks began in January. On January 23,