Communalism has played a key role in shaping the religious history of modern India. After Indian independence in 1947, India was partitioned along religious lines into two states—the Muslim-majority Dominion of Pakistan (comprising what is now the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the People's Republic of Bangladesh) and the Hindu-majority Union of India (later the Republic of India).
Communalism has been a pivotal force in shaping the spiritual heritage of contemporary India. Upon attaining independence in 1947, India was bifurcated along denominational lines into two entities—the Muslim-dominant Dominion of Pakistan (now comprising the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the People's Republic of Bangladesh) and the Hindu-predominant Union of India (which eventually became the Republic of India).