PC: War between a United India and the Soviet Union over Afghanistan

Say Britain forces a United India and India remains in a pro-Western Alignment and Afghanistan history remains the same up until 1979

Could the 1979 Soviet intervention in Afghanistan trigger a war between the Soviet Union and a United India.

Who would win such a war.

Would Nuclear weapons likely be used.
 
1) USSR.
2) Yes.
Edit. United India is impossible. Pakistanis wanted to go, no matter what. They had mutual hatred with Indians. No way you're would've been able to hold them in united country.
 
... and Afghanistan's history remains the same up until 1979.
That's going to be difficult considering all the butterflies in the region. IIRC the monarchy was overthrown by Daud Khan in 1973 after having been removed as Prime Minister in 1963 due to his picking a fight with Pakistan over Pashtunistan issues. If it's a United India that's holding the land east of Durand Line rather than a Pakistan that has seen a period of political instability and then a military coup d'etat will he be as likely to to push the issue?


United India is impossible. Pakistanis wanted to go, no matter what. They had mutual hatred with Indians. No way you're would've been able to hold them in united country.
Considering that we have any time after 1900 for a point of departure that's a rather absolutist stance to take. Whilst there have been some unfortunate notable exceptions generally Hindu Indians and Muslim Indians – who make up just over 14% of the population, and in a Greater India would be around 31% – have been able to live together peaceably.
 
Last edited:
1) USSR.
2) Yes.
Edit. United India is impossible. Pakistanis wanted to go, no matter what. They had mutual hatred with Indians. No way you're would've been able to hold them in united country.

Didn't the muslim-hindu divide between Pakistan and India get exasperated by the partition? I believe the region of Pakistan has a significant amount of hindus before the massive population displacement following partion.
 
If it's a United India that's holding the land east of Durand Line rather than a Pakistan that has seen a period of political instability and then a military coup d'etat will he be as likely to to push the issue?
Could some other issue lead to a coup or could a Pakistani insurgency lead to Daud Khan pushing Pashtunistan

United India is impossible. Pakistanis wanted to go, no matter what. They had mutual hatred with Indians
Couldn't India hold them down with military force

I believe the region of Pakistan has a significant amount of hindus before the massive population displacement following partion.
There was in Sindh but the rest of Pakistan no
 
Could some other issue lead to a coup or could a Pakistani insurgency lead to Daud Khan pushing Pashtunistan?
About the only thing I can think of is if a United India decided to close down the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and fully incorporate them into the state, the problem with that is India still has a number of autonomous administrative divisions nowadays.
 
Top