Pakistan's latest overtures to comprehensively negotiate issues including trade, terrorism, water disputes, and even the Kashmir conflict have been summarily rebuffed in New Delhi.
As Pakistan hoped to initiate trade with India, Prime Minister Modi has made it unequivocal that there would "neither be any trade nor any talk" with Pakistan, at least until PoK is centrally administered by India, with a strong anti-terrorism campaign framework in place.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had communicated a want for a comprehensive dialogue, even proposing Saudi Arabia as a potential impartial venue for negotiations. He emphasized that enduring peace was essential for a secure destiny in the region.
This diplomatic push from Islamabad comes after a recent understanding between the two nations had brought an end to a four-day escalation of cross-frontier drone and missile strikes, which had heightened tensions.
However, PM Modi's immediate rejection of dialogue and unambiguous stance showcase India's hardened position. In a Rajasthan speech, he expressly connected the chance of negotiations to Pakistan's efforts against terrorism, adding that "with every attack, Pakistan will bear a significant cost paid by its armed forces and economy."
This follows India's "Operation Sindoor," a series of accurate strikes on terror infrastructure that started in early May in revenge for an April 22 terrorist assault in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives.
Emerging as yet another flashpoint is the water issue, especially with regard to the long-standing Indus Waters Treaty. Following the Pahalgam violence, India unilaterally suspended the pact, which Pakistan viewed as an "act of war."
While Pakistan's Finance Minister said the suspension would have no prompt impact, India's PM Modi firmly proclaimed that "Pakistan will not receive the water, which is rightfully India's." Historically, the sharing of the rivers in the Indus basin has been governed by the IWT, which was finalized in 1960. India's decision to put it on hold represents a significant change in how it will handle this important deal.
Pakistan-India Relations Are Redefined by India's Assertive Position on Kashmir and Security
Tensions between India and Pakistan are still rooted in the historical dispute over Kashmir.
The historical conflict over Kashmir remains at the core of India-Pakistan tensions. Both nations claim the entirety of the region but administer parts of it. The Line of Control (LoC) is the de facto border and one of the most militarized zones globally, prone to frequent cease-fire violations and skirmishes.
As evidenced by Modi's recent proclamations, there is greater emphasis being placed on a policy that seeks to militarily dominate India's cross-border militant incursions and exploit its natural wealth.
It seems that for the foreseeable future, relations between India and Pakistan will remain strained, a comment perhaps driven by a quintessentially hardline policy from India that does not accommodate Pakistan's desire for interstate dialogue based on its terror-centric concerns.