¡¡NEW DELHI, Sept. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- India's External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri begann two-day talks in the Indian capital Sunday to review the progress of the first round of the composite dialogue process that concluded in August.

    The composite dialogue, covering eight subjects ranging from Kashmir to demarcation of boundary, was revived early this year after a gap of six years following a landmark agreement between then Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad in January.

    Since 1947, Hindu-majority India and Muslim Pakistan have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir and came close to another conflict over the Himalayan region in 2002.

    Here is a chronology of the tense relations between the two countries and landmarks in their attempts at peace:

    August, 1947 -- India and Pakistan win freedom from British rule amid bloodletting between Hindus and Muslims.

    October, 1947 -- Two countries go to war in Kashmir after Muslim-majority state's Hindu ruler opts to join secular India rather than Islamic Pakistan.

    January, 1949 -- UN Security Council-ordered ceasefire takes effect in Kashmir. UN resolution seeks plebiscite in state of Jammu and Kashmir to decide its future.

    September, 1965 -- India and Pakistan go to war over Kashmir again. Combat ends after UN calls for ceasefire.

    December, 1971 -- Third India-Pakistan war over East Pakistan ends when 90,000 Pakistani troops surrender leading to creation of Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan).

    July, 1972 -- Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Pakistani President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto sign accord in Indian mountain town of Shimla envisaging bilateral settlement of disputes including Kashmir.

    May, 1974 -- India conducts its first nuclear test but says it is for atomic research, not weapons.

    January, 1990 -- Indian army opens fire in Srinagar, Kashmir's summer capital, during protest against crackdown on separatism,killing 38. More than 40,000 are reported killed in ensuing insurgency over the next 14 years. India says Pakistan arms and trains guerrillas. Islamabad denies the charge.

    May 1998 -- Soon after Hindu nationalist-led alliance takes power, India holds nuclear tests in Rajasthan. Rattled Islamabad retaliates with six tests.

    Febuary, 1999 -- Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee makes historic bus ride to Pakistan for summit with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Lahore peace declaration is signed.

    May 1999 -- Two nations face off when India launches offensive,including air strikes, against Pakistan-backed infiltrators near icy heights around Kargil in Kashmir.

    October, 1999 -- Pakistan army chief General Pervez Musharraf ousts Nawaz Sharif a day before Vajpayee is sworn in for third time.

    July 2001 -- Musharraf and Vajpayee hold summit in Indian city of Agra, but fail to agree on how to bury their differences, particularly over Kashmir.

    December, 2001 -- Gunmen attack Indian parliament. New Delhi blames Pakistan-based Kashmiri militants, Islamabad denies this. India snaps air, rail and road links and cuts diplomatic staff.

    January, 2002 -- India masses hundreds of thousands of troops on border. Islamabad follows suit, raising spectre of another war.

    October, 2002 -- Both sides start pulling back troops after U.S.-led international pressure forces them back from brink.

    April 2003 -- Vajpayee says he wants to make final push for peace in his lifetime but says talks only possible if Pakistan stops backing Kashmiri militants.

    July, 2003 -- Cross-border bus links restored as ties thaw.

    November, 2003 -- Pakistani Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali announces ceasefire on military line of control in Kashmir.India accepts and truce takes effect on November 26.

    January, 2004 -- Vajpayee and Musharraf meet in Islamabad on sidelines of South Asian summit, giving big push to peace process,and agree to resume peace talks.

    Febuary, 2004 -- Foreign ministry officials of both nations hold peace talks after two years.

    March, 2004 -- India begins historic cricket tour of Pakistan, first full tour by Indian side in 14 years, sparking huge interest among hundreds of millions of fans on both sides.

    May, 2004 -- India's new prime minister, Manmohan Singh, says he will continue to give top priority to India-Pakistan peace talks, statement warmly welcomed by Pakistan.

    June, 2004 -- India and Pakistan agree to set up nuclear hotline between their foreign ministries and renew ban on nuclear testing.

    June, 2004 -- India's new foreign minister, Natwar Singh, meets Pakistani counterpart Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri. They agree to re-open Karachi and Bombay consulates and restore size of their embassies in New Delhi and Islamabad to full strength of 110.

    August, 2004 -- The two countries conclude first round of composite dialogue, expressing determination to move towards a "peaceful, negotiated and final settlement" to the Kashmir dispute while announcing a series of confidence building measures for improving ties.

    During the talks, they discuss all issues on the eight-point agenda, namely peace and security, Kashmir, the Siachen Glacier, Wullar Barrage, Sir Greek, terrorism and drug trafficking, economic and commercial cooperation, promotion of friendly exchanges in various fields.

    September, 2004 -- Foreign secretaries of both countries positively access the composite dialogue between the two countries,and recommend the process continue to "deepen and broaden" bilateral engagement. Enditem