past failures at peace it might be more fitting to replace the frothy

buoyancy surrounding the2004 peace plan with a circumspect'wait and

watch' attitude. It is likely that India-Pakistan talks may be crisis-ridden
like every other peace process, and vested interests and cornplacency
with a protracted stalemate serve to replace upbeat enthusiasm with an
imprudent inertia. However, the hopes of success stem from the sheer
urgency of a longJasting peace process in South Asia, given the
escalation of twin international threats of nuclear proliferation and
terrorism, and the evolving geopolitical trajectories of India and
Pakistan.

India's economy has prospered over the past few years and politically, its
democracy continues to be durable if at times, chaotic. As it struggles to
make its presence felt globally or even regionally, India has sought to
make rudimentary efforts to refurbish ties with the United States, China,
and other powers like France" Russia, Israel and its neighbouring states.
Besides, there also seems to have been a tacit realisation on India's part
that its geopolitical advancement is directly linked to its security
relations with Pakistan, whose domestic instability and polarization pose
the biggest security threat to India.

Pakistan has" on the other hand made little economic progress in recent
years> and even fewer attempts at modernisation. Its polity and society
have often seemed to be high-jacked by a belligerent military
establishment" and radical forces respectively. More recently, the
implication of the accomplished Pakistani scientist A. Q. Khan in
clandestine nuclear proliferation to Libya and lran, and the growing
incidence of terrorist violence within its territory with alleged links to
intemational terrorist groups have emerged as major threats to Pakistan's
internati onal credibility and dome sti c stability.

During the cunent bilateral engagement process, which began with the
Indian Prime Minister's suggestion of talks with Pakistan in early 2003,
the two countries have displayed an unprecedented pragmatism While
India has expressed its willingness to discuss Kashmir with Pakistan as
opposed to an earlier elusiveness on the issue, the latter has moved
beyond its stance of Kashmir being the focal point of its negotiations
with India, and thus, agreed on a broader framework'the five-point
agenda'for discussions and relationship building. Some of the issues
slated for a composite dialogue are- peace, security, Jammu and
Kashmir" economic and commercial co-operation, nuclear confidence
building measures (CBMs), terrorism and promotion of friendly
exchange at various levels. While, both the sides claim to explore every
possibility for durable peace, security, and resolution of bilateral issues
and to consider'special status'for each other, there also seems to be a
realisation that 'war is not an option'.

However, despite the display of initial pragmatism and mutual

agreement on a proposed roadmap both the countries continue to share
incompatible views over several issues including Kashmir, which
threatens to be the biggest roadblock along the way. In the last fiffy
years, Kashmir has become an ideological battleground, and a symbol of
national identity for the two countries. while India seeks to defend the