Khalistan

Khalistan refers to the proposed sovereign state of Sikhs in the Punjab region of South Asia. The concept draws on the historical and religious ties of Sikhs to the Punjab area, and the name combines elements meaning “land” and “pure.” Its proponents advocate a separate nation for Sikhs, sometimes including adjacent parts of India and Pakistan, though the precise territorial aims have varied over time.

The modern Khalistan movement emerged from political and religious grievances in the post‑independence era. In 1973, the Akali Dal framework known as the Anandpur Sahib Resolution called for greater autonomy for Punjab within India, and some supporters later argued that full independence was the necessary solution. During the 1980s, a faction of Sikh militants formed groups such as the Khalistan Commando Force and Babbar Khalsa, carrying out attacks, targeted killings, and bombings in pursuit of an independent state. The movement reached its peak amid political violence and was accompanied by traumatic events, including the Indian Army’s Operation Blue Star in 1984 at the Golden Temple and subsequent anti‑Sikh pogroms in 1984. From the late 1980s into the early 1990s, security operations and counterinsurgency efforts reduced the scale of the insurgency, and violence gradually declined.

Today, Khalistan is not a recognized state, and the Indian government regards it as a separatist movement. In Punjab, mainstream politics largely focus on constitutional reform, federalism, and governance rather than secession. Outside India, various diaspora groups have supported Khalistan in different ways, but the movement remains controversial and its supporters are not a unified political force.