Following Pakistan's invitation to Modi for the SCO summit, Jaishankar asserts that the ‘era of uninterrupted dialogue’ is over

Aug. 30, 2024, 7:50 a.m.

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On Friday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar declared that the “era of uninterrupted dialogue” with Pakistan has ended. This statement came a day after Pakistan extended an invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit scheduled for October in Pakistan.

India has consistently maintained that it will not resume regular diplomatic talks with Islamabad until Pakistan takes decisive action to curb terrorist groups involved in cross-border terrorism.

During a book launch event in New Delhi, Jaishankar stated, “The period of consistent dialogue with Pakistan is over. Actions have repercussions. Regarding Jammu and Kashmir, the revocation of Article 370 is a done deal.”

Advertisement “So, the question is what kind of relationship we can envision with Pakistan,” Jaishankar stated, “What I want to emphasize is that we are not passive, and regardless of whether events unfold positively or negatively, we will respond accordingly.”

#WATCH | Speaking on Pakistan at a book launch event in Delhi, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar says, "The era of uninterrupted dialogue with Pakistan is over. Actions have consequences. So far as J&K is concerned, Article 370 is done. So, the issue is what kind of… pic.twitter.com/41ZSq9VQHs

— ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2024 The minister was apparently referring to cross-border operations by Indian forces in 2016 — after the Uri terror attack — and 2019 — following the Pulwama blast incident. In both instances, Pakistan-based terror groups, New Delhi said, targeted Indian security forces, and subsequently India launched cross Line of Control (LoC) military operations to hit terror camps.

India and Pakistan have scaled back their diplomatic engagement following the 2019 terrorist attack, which was followed by India's military operation and an aerial confrontation that led to a serious crisis when an Indian Air Force wing commander landed on the other side of the LoC and was apprehended by Pakistani forces. Several tense hours passed before then-Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was compelled to issue a statement in the National Assembly announcing the release of the Indian pilot.

Advertisement During Friday's event, Jaishankar also remarked, “For every nation, neighboring countries always present a complex challenge. These complexities can never be fully resolved. They are ongoing relationships that will invariably create difficulties.”

Citing examples of recent diplomatic issues with the Maldives and Bangladesh, Jaishankar said, “People sometimes come and say that’s happened in Bangladesh and this has happened in the Maldives… [but] they need to look around the world and tell me which country doesn’t face challenges with neighbours. It is in the very nature of being a neighbour that this will happen. In fact, the closeness — which is the definition of a neighbour — is actually the complication.”

Advertisement India's relations with Pakistan have been significantly influenced by how the governments on both sides have addressed the issue of terrorism, which Islamabad connects to the Kashmir dispute. India has repeatedly emphasized that “terror and dialogue” are incompatible, asserting that its bilateral ties with Pakistan hinge on Pakistan's effectiveness in controlling terrorist groups operating from within its territory.

It is still uncertain whether Prime Minister Modi will travel to Pakistan to participate in the two-day SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting in October. Pakistan currently holds the rotating chairmanship of the SCO.