India and Pakistan’s relations have always shaped regional stability in the larger context of Southasia. At a time when both countries face challenges beyond their mutual hostility — such as economic crises, political instability, and border disputes with other nations — two significant opinion pieces published recently in the Indian media argue for diplomacy and pragmatism rather than an endless focus on past grievances.
With Pakistan’s economy on the brink and the global economic landscape evolving rapidly, re-establishing trade links with India is not just a potential game-changer but a pressing need for both countries, writes economist Sanjay Kathuria, in a piece published ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting held in Islamabad.
Established in 2001, the SCO is an international intergovernmental organisation whose members include China, Russia, and Iran; the Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; and Pakistan and India in Southasia. This meeting marks the first time in nearly 10 years that a foreign minister from India has visited Pakistan. The last visit was in December 2015, when then-Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj attended the Heart of Asia conference.
If the foreign ministers from both sides engaged, speculated Kathuria, it would present an opportunity for a “handshake” to kick-start formal trade talks (Reopening trade with Pak will also help India, Tribune India, October 12, 2024).
The foreign ministers did in fact meet, which is the focus of the second opinion piece, by Mani Shankar Aiyar, a senior politician associated with the Indian National Congress, India-Pak: leaching the bile (Indian Express, Oct. 19, 2024).
NOTE: This PDF of Mani Shankar’s article is available to Sapan News readers with the writer’s permission.
Kathuria’s piece highlights the geo-economic logic driving this discussion and Pakistan’s military establishment’s vital role in such strategic decisions. He argues that despite their strained political relationship, both nations stand to gain significantly from a mutual trade partnership, especially considering Pakistan’s ongoing economic crisis and India’s growing economic clout.
“Commodity trade with India could help dampen rampant inflation in food and electricity prices” in Pakistan, helping alleviate the country’s economic woes. The 200% penal import duty imposed by India in response to the Pulwama attacks and the reciprocal ban by Pakistan, which halted direct trade, have kept economic cooperation at an all-time low.
While geopolitical tensions persist, trade represents a relatively “low-hanging fruit” that could be revitalised even before addressing more complex political issues, argues Kathuria.
Pakistan’s informal economy and thriving freelance workforce already benefit from indirect trade through countries like Dubai, wrote Kathuria, suggesting that a more structured direct engagement would be more beneficial, creating jobs and stabilising borders on both sides.
Aiyar’s piece appreciating India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s statesmanship in Pakistan at the recent SCO summit stands out given his vocal opposition to the Modi government.
He recognises how Jaishankar avoided direct references to India-Pakistan hostilities while emphasising the benefits of regional trade, energy flows, and people-to-people exchanges. “Jaishankar’s speech was a model of its kind,” writes Aiyar, adding that the foreign minister’s emphasis on geoeconomics was crucial to paving the way for any form of engagement.
Aiyar notes that an informal interaction between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan could set the stage for preliminary discussions on various issues, including the possibility of India’s cricket team participating in Pakistan-hosted tournaments. Such small engagements could ease tensions and contribute to an atmosphere conducive to more substantial talks in the future.
This is a piece important for its analysis and political nuance. Dialogue, as Aiyar has often said, must be “uninterrupted and uninterruptible” – even in hostile environments, it helps moderate conflicts.
The reference to diplomatic engagements during the Cold War and other global conflicts provides a broader perspective, reinforcing his point that even difficult conversations are better than none. The article urges the Modi government to overcome its political dependence on divisive rhetoric and seek constructive engagement.
– Pragyan Srivastava/Sapan News
LEAD IMAGE: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif welcomes India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar to Islamabad, Pakistan for the 23rd Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting in October. Photo: Government of Pakistan twitter account.
Note on Southasia as one word: Like Himal Southasian, we use ‘Southasia’ as one word, “seeking to restore some of the historical unity of our common living space, without wishing any violence on the existing nation states”.
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