Frozen relations

The recent surge in tensions between Pakistan and India underscores the deep-seated mistrust shaping their relations. The hijacking of the Jaffar Express in Balochistan reignited accusations from Pakistan’s military, which blamed India for backing militant groups, a claim reinforced by the 2016 arrest of RAW operative Kulbhushan Jadhav. Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a podcast with Lex Fridman, accused Pakistan of sponsoring terrorism, further solidifying India’s rigid stance. This war of words, far from being new, has effectively frozen diplomatic engagement, with India dismissing backchannel negotiations while maintaining that Pakistan must first accept the revocation of Article 370 in Kashmir as the starting point for any future dialogue. The strained ties are exacerbated by India’s strategic approach of politically demonizing Pakistan, a narrative amplified by its media.

Efforts to normalize relations remain at an impasse, as the two countries find themselves locked in irreconcilable positions. While Pakistan seeks a backchannel mechanism, India insists on handling crises through existing frameworks. This diplomatic deadlock dates back to August 5, 2019, when India unilaterally revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, prompting Pakistan to downgrade diplomatic ties and halt trade. With India refusing to revisit its decision and Pakistan unwilling to concede its stance on Kashmir, formal talks remain unlikely. However, low-level diplomatic interactions continue in areas like visa issuance and religious pilgrimages—symbolic engagements that lack the weight to thaw relations. The larger question remains whether leadership on both sides will ever exhibit the political will necessary to break this frozen state, or if entrenched hostility will continue to dictate the course of their relations.

Overview:

Pakistan-India relations remain tense, fueled by accusations of terrorism and rigid political stances. Pakistan blames India for fomenting unrest, particularly in Balochistan, while India insists Pakistan harbors terrorist elements. The core dispute remains Kashmir, with India treating the revocation of Article 370 as irreversible and Pakistan refusing to accept it. Diplomatic engagement has stalled, leaving only minor cooperative measures in place.

NOTES:

Pakistan and India’s diplomatic standoff is a classic example of international relations shaped by history, security concerns, and political narratives. Pakistan’s accusation of Indian interference, backed by RAW operative Kulbhushan Jadhav’s arrest, reflects broader regional security dilemmas. The 2019 abrogation of Article 370 and its implications for Kashmir demonstrate the complexities of sovereignty disputes under UN resolutions. India’s hardline stance under the BJP, emphasizing national security while demonizing Pakistan, aligns with realist foreign policy approaches. The absence of formal dialogue and reliance on ad-hoc crisis management highlight South Asia’s fragile peace architecture, where nuclear deterrence prevents war but does not foster stability.

Relevant CSS syllabus topics:

• International Relations (Pakistan-India relations, conflict resolution)
• Pakistan Affairs (Kashmir dispute, National Security)
• Political Science (State-sponsored terrorism, diplomatic engagements)
• Strategic Studies (Regional security, nuclear deterrence)

Notes for beginners:

Pakistan and India have a long history of conflict, primarily over Kashmir, which both countries claim. In 2019, India revoked Article 370, removing Kashmir’s special status, leading Pakistan to cut trade and diplomatic ties. Recently, a train hijacking in Balochistan led Pakistan to accuse India of supporting terrorists, while India’s Prime Minister Modi claimed Pakistan was waging a proxy war. These allegations have halted diplomatic talks, but minor agreements, like the Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh pilgrims, still exist. Similar to how the US and Russia engage cautiously despite their rivalry, Pakistan and India’s ties remain tense but require communication to prevent escalation.

Facts and figures:

• Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian spy, was arrested in 2016 and confessed to supporting militants in Balochistan.
• India revoked Article 370 on August 5, 2019, stripping Kashmir of its autonomy.
• Formal dialogue between Pakistan and India has been suspended for over five years.
• Bilateral trade between Pakistan and India fell from $2 billion in 2018 to near zero post-2019.
• More than 70,000 people have died due to Pakistan-India conflicts and terrorism.

To wrap up, Pakistan-India relations remain frozen, burdened by historical grievances and conflicting national interests. While backchannel diplomacy could help ease tensions, India’s rigid position on Kashmir and Pakistan’s unwillingness to shift its stance prevent meaningful engagement. Until both sides display political pragmatism, diplomatic breakthroughs will remain elusive, leaving regional stability at the mercy of recurring crises.

Difficult words and meanings:

• Fraught – full of tension or distress (syn: tense, strained; ant: calm, easygoing)
• Impassé – a deadlock or stalemate (syn: stalemate, gridlock; ant: resolution, breakthrough)
• Reiterate – to repeat or emphasize (syn: restate, reaffirm; ant: retract, withdraw)
• Unilateral – undertaken by one party without agreement (syn: independent, one-sided; ant: bilateral, mutual)
• Modus vivendi – an arrangement allowing coexistence (syn: compromise, truce; ant: conflict, hostility)
• Demonize – portray as wicked or evil (syn: vilify, malign; ant: praise, commend)