Uninterrupted Dialogue
India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, announced on Friday that the era of “uninterrupted dialogue” with Pakistan is over.
Speaking at a private event, Jaishankar emphasized that India would respond to any developments involving Pakistan, whether positive or negative. He remarked, “So far as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, Article 370 is done. The issue [now] is what kind of relationship we can contemplate with Pakistan.”
His statement highlighted India’s firm stance on the issue, following the abrogation of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Jaishankar further clarified that India would not remain passive in its dealings with Pakistan and would respond according to the nature of events. “What I do want to say is that we are not passive, and whether events take a positive or a negative direction, either way, we will react,” he stated.
His comments came in the context of the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting, scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan in October.
Despite the strained relations, Pakistan’s Foreign Office confirmed a day earlier that Islamabad had extended invitations to all heads of government of SCO member states, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The SCO, led by Russia and China, serves as a significant multilateral platform for India, especially for regional security and collaboration with Central Asian countries.
India considers the SCO vital for engaging with these nations, even as it remains cautious of China’s influence within the organization.
Notably, India has consistently refrained from endorsing China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), creating a point of contention in SCO joint statements.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have been high since August 2019, when the Modi-led government unilaterally revoked the special status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
This move led to Pakistan downgrading its diplomatic ties with India, arguing that the decision had undermined the environment for dialogue between the two neighbors.
Islamabad has maintained that normalizing relations with New Delhi is contingent upon the restoration of the special status of IIOJK.
Despite the frosty bilateral ties, the two countries managed to agree on renewing the 2003 ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control (LoC) in February 2021.
This rare instance of cooperation underscores the complexities of their relationship, where diplomatic engagements are overshadowed by deep-rooted political and territorial disputes.
As both nations prepare for the upcoming SCO meeting, the international community will closely watch whether this platform can foster any positive dialogue or if the stalemate will continue.
I am a dynamic professional, specializing in Peace and Conflict Studies, Conflict Management and Resolution, and International Relations. My expertise is particularly focused on South Asian Conflicts and the intricacies of the Indian Ocean and Asia Pacific Politics. With my skills as a Content Writer, I serve as a bridge between academia and the public, translating complex global issues into accessible narratives. My passion for fostering understanding and cooperation on the national and international stage drives me to make meaningful contributions to peace and global discourse.
