Informal Indo-Pak talks in third-party states best option for peace: UK experts

Leading UK strategic experts believe an attempt to coordinate informal talks between Indian and Pakistani officials in third-party countries may offer a possible prospect to restore stability following the recent military escalation in the region.

The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a London-based think-tank, last week held a session entitled ‘The India-Pakistan military conflict and prospects for regional stability and security’ to weigh up the political and security considerations of the conflict in the region.

It came ahead of an all-party delegation led by BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad bound for Europe, arriving in the French capital of Paris on Sunday to present India’s counter-terrorism stance and Operation Sindoor in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that claimed 26 lives.

“India and Pakistan have emerged from their 100-hour military conflict with strongly differing and disputed narratives,” said Rahul Roy-Chaudhury, IISS Senior Fellow and Head of the South and Central Asian Programme.

“India has refused to talk or trade with Pakistan until all terror attacks against India end,” he said. When, or if, that happens, India has stated that it will focus only on terrorism and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in any future talks with Pakistan, he noted.

“Pakistan is likely to challenge these preconditions for talks and is currently seeking international intervention towards this end,” he said.

“In this context, the regeneration of private and informal ‘track 1.5’ dialogues between Indian and Pakistani senior officials and influential experts held in third-party countries provide the best immediate prospect of a return to regional stability,” he added.

India has made it clear that it will only have a dialogue with Pakistan on the return of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the issue of terrorism.