India and Pakistan, the two south-Asian nuclear powered nations have been sharing a bitter relationship since the independence in 1947. Both the nations have been accusing each other of promoting terrorism in their countries.

In February 1999, the prime ministers of India and Pakistan agreed on steps to reduce the risk of an escalation of hostilities. Their attempts resulted into vein after the Kargil war erupted.

Some attempts were made from both sides in recent times to normalise relation which penetrated Pakistan’s military. The Pakistan army has an unshakable, deep distrust of India. After winning the 2013 general elections, Nawaz Sharif opted to address Indian journalists who had been covering the event. He expressed his desire to improve relation with New Delhi.

A year later, Narendra Modi reciprocated in the same manner and extended invitation to SAARC leaders including Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to New Delhi for his swearing-in ceremony. It was the first time a Pakistani leader had attended an Indian prime minister’s inauguration ceremony.

But a year later in 2015, proposed NSA level talk between India and Pakistan was called off by later just hours before it was to be begin. Both Indian and Pakistani army exchanged fire across the Line of Control (LoC). It is assumed that the decision to call off the talk was taken by Pakistan government under the military pressure.

The foreign policy in Pakistan is mainly controlled by Pakistani army. The NSA talks were planned during a meeting took place between Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif in Ufa, Russia on the side-lines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Ufa.

India raised its voice against release of suspected mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi. He walked free from a Pakistani jail in April this year. The release of Lakhvi was described as “an insult to the victims of the 26/11 Mumbai attack”.

Both the countries have accused each other. During his visit to the Bangladesh, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused Pakistan of promoting terrorism in India. While Pakistan has been accusing India of supporting separatist insurgents in Balochistan and violent political activists in the port city of Karachi.

Situation in Afghanistan has also become pivotal in relations between India and Pakistan. According to some Pakistani officials, their support for the Afghan Taliban is justified to counter alleged growing Indian influence there.

Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif may both want to settle their countries’ differences. But there is little sign of them being able to do so.

Jagriti Kumari

Disclaimer:Views expressed above are the author’s own