India-Pakistan Talks Positive for American Interests in the Region

The dialogue that occurred on March 28-29 between India and Pakistan signaled a positive shift in posture between the two countries after almost two and a half years of stalled talks. While very few in the international community see any chance of a compromise on the Kashmir issue, a thawing of relations between the two countries must be seen as a positive for American interests in the region. If the two countries can begin to cooperate on issues of terrorism and intelligence and see that they both share common enemies, they will see each other as allies and not existential threats. The United States should actively push for as much dialogue as possible between the two South Asian countries.

Pakistan has long considered India to be its greatest threat. But when the country moved troops from the Indian border to begin offensives in SWAT and other regions in the FATA, it was tacit acknowledgement that Pakistan was focusing on serious threats from within. If American and Indian diplomats can convince decision makers within the Pakistani army to move more troops from the border and push for greater counterterrorism measures, India, Pakistan, and America will benefit. The more the countries can come together and build contacts and relationships, the more resources can be taken away from a potential conflict between adversaries and moved towards the real needs of their respective countries.

India for its part must be careful to respect the rights of Muslims in Kashmir and refrain at all costs from enflaming their sensibilities. Pakistan must ensure that its guards in the border region are not allowing militants to cross-over as the warm spring clears mountain passes.  If this spring and summer pass without major escalations in violence in areas such as Sringar, then surely talks will be more fruitful between the two adversaries.

Another area of contention between the two countries is their shared stake in Afghanistan. While India and Pakistan each have five embassies and consulates in Afghanistan, both countries should take care not to inflame the other and disturb the fragile security gains being made by American forces. Most importantly, Afghanistan could be a unique footing for the two countries to collaborate. At the very least, Pakistan and India would benefit from a stable Afghanistan, though those in the ISI are loathe to admit it (barring a government that they have significant influence over).

The intense, yet peaceful, semi-final match between India and Pakistan in the Cricket World Cup proved that India’s relationship can be more than the two nations with fingers eagerly waiting to push the red button of a nuclear trigger. Very few negative outcomes can result from the dialogue. As with any decades-long struggle, the process is going to take years to resolve. Thus, it is important for all parties with a vested interest in South Asia to ensure the early talks evolve into fruitful and meaningful dialogue with short term tangible goals—for example, a softening of visa restrictions. One can only hope that these talks are allowed to completely unfold and are not interrupted by terrorism. It would behoove the United States to play a role.

By. Andrew Bingham

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