Question

If Germany can be reunited, why can’t the people of India and Pakistan at least travel more easily to each other’s country?

Answer 1

While the reunification of Germany in 1990 demonstrated that ideological Cold War divides could be overcome, easing travel between India and Pakistan is impeded by deep-seated structural, historical, and security barriers.

Key Obstacles to Easy Travel

1. Historical Trauma and Nation-Building Narratives: Unlike East and West Germany, which shared a common ethno-linguistic identity and were separated by foreign superpowers, the Partition of India in 1947 was marked by intense communal violence and conflicting ideological identities (secular democracy versus a religious homeland).
2. Territorial Disputes and Wars: The enduring dispute over Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen, and cross-border demarcation has led to multiple wars (1947-48, 1965, 1971, 1999) and a persistent state of military alert.
3. Cross-Border Terrorism and Security Concerns: Infiltration, state-sponsored cross-border terrorism, and intelligence hostilities (such as ISI and proxy activities) create immense mutual suspicion, making both states enforce stringent visa regimes and city-specific reporting requirements.
4. Role of Domestic Military Institutions: In Pakistan, the military establishment derives its domestic political dominance and budget legitimacy from maintaining an adversarial stance toward India, disincentivising complete normalisation of civilian ties.