The idea to allow the creation of Pakistan was heavily influenced by Lord Mountbatten, who advised Indian leaders like Nehru and others to accept it as a strategic buffer state. At the time, the British colonial empire was under immense pressure from Afghanistan and the tribal areas bordering Central Asia. Historically, India had been repeatedly invaded and occupied by Central Asian Muslim powers over the last thousand years, and even the British faced serious resistance from those regions. The hope was that by creating Pakistan, future invasions or threats from the northwest would be blocked. However, what they didn’t foresee was that this so-called buffer state would grow into a significant regional and international player. Today, this miscalculation is one reason why Modi and the RSS often blame Nehru and Gandhi for accepting Pakistan’s creation—because instead of containing threats, Pakistan emerged as a strong, defiant, and independent force that challenged India on multiple fronts.
