What's happening in India, Pakistan and Kashmir?

Indian soldiers patrol on foot in Kashmir

India has launched a series of air attacks on sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled areas in Kashmir.

Pakistan has responded by firing on part of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Kashmir is a region that is run partly by India and partly by Pakistan, but claimed by both as part of their country.

These airstrikes follow attacks in an Indian-controlled part of Kashmir last month.

India blamed Pakistan for these attacks, although Pakistan denies any involvement.

India and Pakistan are neighbours and are two of the world's largest countries.

They have a combined population of more than 1.6 billion people, about one-fifth of the world's population.

The argument between them over Kashmir has a long history.

What is Kashmir and why is it important?

Kashmir is a contested territory between Pakistan and India.

The Line of Control (LoC) divides Indian and Pakistani territory.

Both run part of Kashmir but claim ownership of it all. A small part is also run by China.

Since 1947, Pakistan and India have fought two wars over Kashmir and there have been several other serious armed clashes. Both countries have nuclear weapons.

However, peace treaties and ceasefires have been agreed to stop the fighting in the past and world leaders say they hope that the fighting this time doesn't get worse.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the situation was a "serious concern for many across Britain," and encouraged the two countries to talk. United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has called for "maximum restraint", and US President Donald Trump said he hoped the fighting "ends very quickly".

Why do India and Pakistan argue about Kashmir?

Kashmir is well known for green fields and sweeping mountainscapes

Kashmir has always been a hotly contested territory since its creation in 1846.

When India became independent from Britain, in the 1947 Indian Independence Act, India and Pakistan were split into two separate countries.

Under the plan, Kashmir wasn't given to either India or Pakistan. It was left up to the local ruler of Kashmir called Hari Singh.

He chose India, but this led to a war over the area between the two newly formed countries. It lasted for two years.

In July 1949, India and Pakistan signed an agreement to establish a ceasefire line as recommended by the UN and the region became divided.

Pakistan and India's prime ministers promised peace in 2014

A second war broke out in 1965, and in 1999 fighting broke out again.

Within Kashmir, there are many different and strongly-held opinions about who should govern it.

Many there do not want it to be governed by India, and would rather Kashmir be independent or join with Pakistan instead.

Religion is one of the reasons why lots of people living in Kashmir may prefer to be controlled by Pakistan, or become an independent state.

India accuses Pakistan of backing rebel attacks in Kashmir - which Pakistan denies.

Find out more

To find out more about the partition of India and the events from that time, you can watch our Newsround Special.