Should India restart dialogue with Pakistan?, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• India and Pakistan have not engaged in government-level dialogue since 2016, following terror attacks at Pathankot and Uri.
• Recent terror incidents mentioned include Pulwama (2019) and Pahalgam (2025).
• A group of eminent citizens recently appealed to leaders of both nations to resume dialogue.
• The debate centers on whether dialogue is feasible, especially given Pakistan's current military leadership under Field Marshal Asim Munir.

Detailed Insights:

• Mani Shankar Aiyar advocates for immediate dialogue, citing the long communication gap and historical instances of successful talks with Pakistani military leaders like Ayub Khan, Zia-ul-Haq, and Pervez Musharraf.
• Aiyar highlights that India has engaged with other military dictators globally, questioning why Pakistan's military leadership should be an exception.
• Tara Kartha expresses caution, arguing that Field Marshal Asim Munir has no incentive for peace, as it could diminish the military's power in Pakistan.
• Kartha points to the risk of terror attacks disrupting dialogue, a concern previously raised by Nawaz Sharif.
• She suggests that any dialogue should be contingent on Pakistan demonstrating concrete steps to curb terrorism.
• Kartha proposes focusing on functional dialogues concerning shared issues like climate change and air pollution, which are non-territorial and people-centric.
• Historical agreements like the Indus Waters Treaty and the Simla Agreement are cited as examples of past engagements.
• The accidental firing of a BrahMos missile into Pakistan was handled maturely by the Pakistani army, according to Kartha, indicating some capacity for de-escalation.
• The political cost of initiating dialogue for Indian leaders, as seen with Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi, is also a consideration.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Track-II Diplomacy: Unofficial, non-governmental interactions between individuals or groups from hostile nations to explore solutions.
• Confidence Building Measures (CBMs): Actions taken by states to reduce fear and suspicion, often preceding formal diplomatic engagement.
• Nuclear Deterrence: The military doctrine that the possession of nuclear weapons by two or more hostile parties prevents their use due to the threat of mutual destruction.
• State-sponsored Terrorism: Terrorist acts undertaken by a state or its proxies against another state or its citizens.