NEW DELHI ¨C Among the many issues that will confront the government that emerges from India¡¯s upcoming general election ¡ª running from April 19 through June 1 ¡ª one of the most important will be what to do about the country¡¯s frayed relationship with its troubled neighbor, Pakistan. The answer may be simple: Not much.
Until recently, there was some hope that elections in both countries in the first half of 2024 might create an opportunity for a fresh start. But any optimism about the bilateral relationship¡¯s future quickly dissipated after Pakistan¡¯s controversial February election: With the popular former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party having been barred from running, the new government¡¯s legitimacy is widely challenged.
A weak Pakistani coalition government propped up by the military is unlikely to be able to undertake any bold diplomatic initiative toward India, especially because Khan¡¯s supporters, who consider themselves unfairly deprived of power, are liable to challenge any significant policy change. Under these circumstances, India will probably be inclined to maintain its policy of watchful ¡°benign neglect¡± toward Pakistan.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.