THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN NATIONAL IDENTITY FORMATION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN

Abstract

This comparative study explores the role of religion in shaping the national identities of India and Pakistan following their independence in 1947. While both nations emerged from a common colonial experience, their trajectories diverged significantly due to differing religious foundations. Pakistan’s national identity was constructed predominantly around Islam, serving as a unifying force for its ethnically and linguistically diverse population. Conversely, India adopted a secular framework, though the persistence of Hindu cultural dominance and the rise of Hindutva ideology complicate this narrative. The paper examines the historical and post-colonial developments that shaped each nation’s identity, including the influence of religious movements, anti-colonial nationalism, language politics, and educational institutions. Particular attention is given to how state policies and curricula in both countries institutionalized religious identities and promoted exclusionary narratives. Through a comparative analysis, the study highlights how religion functions as a political and social tool in nation-building and identity mobilization. The implications of this identity formation process are considered in the context of inter-religious relations, state cohesion, and regional stability. The paper further contextualizes these dynamics with reference to similar experiences in Sri Lanka and Indonesia, and delves into the Kashmir conflict as a site where religious-national identities intersect. Ultimately, this research underscores the enduring and evolving influence of religion in defining national belonging in South Asia.

Keywords: National Identity, Religion, Pakistan, India, Islam, Hinduism, Secularism, Hindutva, Education, Colonial Legacy, Kashmir, Identity Politics