Prospects of Third-Party Mediation on Kashmir Under Unipolarity

Abstract

This article unveils the contours of third-party mediation towards resolving Kashmir dispute in the era of unipolarity. The scope of the article rotates around making an empirical inquiry whether third party mediation is a yielding concept or totally defunct and irrelevant in the present geopolitical milieu. The notion of unipolarity is dominating in the Global Post-Cold War scenario and the US is executing her sole superpower as a manifestation of an established unipolar entity on the global geo-strategic and geo-economic chessboard. For sustaining unipolarity, the US has to overcome multiple challenges including maintaining the status quo at the regional and global level. In South Asia, the nuclearization of India, compelled Pakistan for entering the nuclear arena, has generated serious security repercussions for the region especially due to the Kashmir issue. In pursuit of maintaining the status quo, the US played dominant role in defusing Pak-India tension during crises in the past. Moreover, while examining US role during Kargil crisis, 2001-2002 military standoff and Mumbai incidence, it is anticipated that the US has the potential to contribute in ensuring peace and stability in South Asia. Nevertheless, for sustaining the status quo under unipolarity, the US is unlikely to become mediator in resolving Kashmir conflict which is the main source of contention between India and Pakistan. The enduring strategic environment of South Asia is vulnerable due to the Kashmir issue and this paper evaluates that under unipolarity, the mediating role of the US for the tangible resolution of said dispute will hardly impending.