2025 Jain Civil War

In the alternate timeline, the Jain Commonwealth of India was formed in the 1970s after Jain religious leaders, in alliance with left-wing and environmentalist movements, helped overthrow the Hindu nationalist government that had ruled the subcontinent since independence. The new nation was founded on core Jain principles of non-violence, vegetarianism, and environmental protection.

Over the following decades, the Jain Commonwealth prospered and became an influential regional power, known for its advanced sustainable technologies and strict adherence to Jain doctrine. However, underlying tensions built between traditionalist and reformist factions within the Jain establishment. The traditionalists sought to maintain the country's rigid adherence to ancient Jain scripture, while the reformists pushed for more adaptability and openness to the modern world.

Rise of Factionalism

By the 2010s, these divisions had escalated into open political conflict. The traditionalist faction, led by the conservative Jain National Party, gained control of the Commonwealth's parliament and presidency. They enacted strict laws further enshrining Jain orthodoxy, including banning all forms of violence, prohibiting the use of fossil fuels, and severely limiting personal freedoms.

In response, the reformist movement - supported by urban professionals, youth activists, and some Jain religious leaders - launched widespread civil disobedience campaigns. They demanded democratic reforms, economic modernization, and a loosening of the traditionalists' rigid social controls. Clashes between pro-government forces and reformist protesters became increasingly violent, with both sides unwilling to compromise.

Outbreak of Civil War

The situation came to a head in 2025 when traditionalist hardliners staged a coup, dissolving parliament and declaring a state of emergency. Reformist groups responded by launching an armed rebellion, seizing control of several major cities. What followed was over 3 years of brutal fighting between the two Jain factions that devastated the Commonwealth.

Key events of the Jain Civil War included:

• The bloody Battle of New Delhi, where government forces used chemical weapons against reformist strongholds, causing massive civilian casualties.
• The reformist capture and bombardment of the sacred Jain capital of Shravanabelagola, seen as a major symbolic blow by the traditionalists.
• The intervention of neighboring countries like China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh who armed and funded different sides of the conflict, prolonging the fighting.
• The use of cyberattacks, economic warfare, and even terrorism by both factions to target each other's infrastructure and population centers.

Aftermath and Legacy

By the time a tenuous ceasefire was reached in 2028, the Jain Commonwealth was devastated economically and socially. Millions had died, cities were in ruins, and the country's infrastructure and environment were badly damaged. The reformists had been defeated, but the traditionalist government was severely weakened.

The legacy of the Jain Civil War continues to reverberate today. The Jain Commonwealth has struggled to rebuild, facing a refugee crisis, sectarian tensions, and a hesitant return to the global economy. Its reputation as a beacon of Jain virtue has been irreparably tarnished. Neighboring powers, having exploited the conflict for their own gain, have emerged as the new regional hegemons.

Some argue the war marked the end of the Jain experiment and a return to the sectarian violence that plagued the Indian subcontinent for centuries. Others see it as a pivotal moment that forever changed the political, economic and social landscape of South Asia. Whichever view prevails, the 2025 Jain Civil War stands as a cautionary tale about the dangers of dogmatism, extremism, and foreign meddling in the affairs of nations.