Jaishankar’s Pak trip

EXTERNAL Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s upcoming visit to Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit represents a significant opportunity for India to explore diplomatic possibilities. This will be the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly a decade, the last being in 2015 by Sushma Swaraj.

Though Jaishankar has stated that this visit is not aimed at discussing India-Pakistan relations, it is a unique opportunity to initiate a thaw in the bilateral ties. Relations between the neighbours have been strained since the Pulwama terror attack and Balakot airstrikes and the subsequent abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. However, developments such as the 2021 Line of Control (LoC) ceasefire have offered a glimmer of hope. This agreement revived the 2003 truce along the LoC, greatly improving the lives of civilians in border areas. The peaceful Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir further signal a potential for stability, which could foster an environment conducive for dialogue. Despite the ongoing tensions, a conversation between Delhi and Islamabad, even if informal, could set the stage for future cooperation on shared regional concerns, including security and trade. By holding talks on the sidelines of the SCO summit, India can assert its commitment to peaceful coexistence while maintaining its firm stance on terrorism.

Pakistan, for its part, must demonstrate its commitment to creating an environment free from terror and hostility. Jaishankar’s visit, while primarily focused on multilateral cooperation, could serve as the first step towards reducing longstanding hostilities between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.