Environmental Fallout of India's Protracted Conflicts

Wars are often measured by the number of lives lost and political change, but the damage they cause to our environment; land, water, air, and wildlife, are equally severe. While the environmental impacts of wars or armed conflicts have been widely studied, the effects of low-intensity and protracted social and political conflicts have not received as much attention, despite their far-reaching and often overlooked ecological consequences. India’s landscapes have been profoundly shaped by centuries of environmental change, much of which stem from a history of colonial exploitation and subsequent conflict and resistance. This paper presents a chronological analysis of the ecological consequences of low-intensity and protracted conflicts in India, beginning with the environmental legacy of British colonialism. The colonial era brought about extensive deforestation, the expansion of monoculture plantations, and the arrival of invasive species; changes all propelled by the British Empire’s economic goals and strategic ambitions. These shifts disrupted traditional land use practices, displaced indigenous communities, and laid the groundwork for many of the ecological crises India faces today. In the postcolonial period, the environmental landscape continued to be shaped by new forms of disruption: militarization in the Himalayas, armed insurgencies in regions like the Red Corridor and the North East, and growing resistance movements led by Adivasi communities in places such as Jharkhand and Kerala. Each of these phases has left lasting ecological footprints, from the breaking up of habitats and species loss, to the erosion of long-standing systems of environmental stewardship. These developments reveal how deeply today’s environmental challenges are rooted in India’s colonial legacy and the enduring struggles of its marginalized communities.