Conceptualizing Escalation Dynamics in South Asia

Abstract

This chapter serves as the theoretical and conceptual basis of the book. The chapter discusses the classical views on escalation, followed by an analysis of the various debates on India–Pakistan escalation dynamics. The chapter thereafter examines the traditional understanding of the India–Pakistan escalation ladder. The chapter concludes by highlighting the missing link in the traditional understanding of the India–Pakistan escalation ladder, that is, the potency of ceasefire violations (CFVs) to trigger bilateral escalation. In short, the chapter argues that that escalation can and do begin from local factors rather than due to central directives, something the existing literature on South Asian escalation does not account for.