00:00It would have been far better if Pakistan would have chosen to normalize its relation with India.
00:05It has definitely made the Modi government in New Delhi very insecure.
00:09It's been one year since New Delhi launched Operation Sundool in retaliation
00:15for the Pahlgaam attack on April 22, 2025.
00:19A four-day military conflict ensued after India blamed neighboring Pakistan
00:24for backing the attackers and subsequently carried out strikes on what it claimed
00:30were terrorist-connected infrastructure targets inside Pakistan.
00:34The violence saw at least 50 deaths near the line of control, the de facto border in Kashmir.
00:40After U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly mediated a ceasefire.
00:44On Saturday, my administration helped broker a full and immediate ceasefire.
00:50I think a permanent one.
00:51There has not been any major escalation between the two long-time rivals.
00:56Does it mean the conflict is over?
00:58Where do the India-Pakistan ties stand now?
01:00DW asked experts from India and Pakistan to weigh in.
01:04This is, at best, a managed frozen conflict situation
01:08because the trade ties are, you know, not happening anymore.
01:16I mean, they're almost close to non-existent.
01:18There are border skirmishes like cross-border exchanges in terms of drones and different, you know, small operations.
01:27Some kind of hostility still exists.
01:30Also in terms of no revival of diplomatic ties per se.
01:34What we actually saw was somehow a ceasefire was attained.
01:41But, you know, over the last one year, absolutely there has been no attempt to revive the relationship
01:46or to bring the relationship on a positive track.
01:49However, there are, you know, all sorts of attempts, all sorts of, you know, discussions that are taking place.
01:54Some people also say that some track two negotiations have happened.
01:59But those track two negotiations are also not officially acknowledged.
02:02The frozen conflict, however, continues to impact the two nations.
02:07For the Indian aviation sector, for example, over the last one year,
02:11Pakistani airspace has been denied to the Indian aviation sector.
02:15Every day there are millions of dollars of losses that the Indian aviation companies have to incur.
02:20If you look at also the issue of Kashmir, I mean, the tourism sector of Kashmir,
02:24which is absolutely the lifeline of Kashmir, that has remained more or less, you know, deactivated.
02:31So I would say that, you know, be it from the point of view of civil aviation of India
02:35or from the point of view of tourism sector of Kashmir
02:39and overall for the tourism sector of India, the proposition is essentially on the losing side.
02:45Kashmir, the disputed Himalayan territory is claimed in full by both Pakistan and India.
02:51The region has been divided between the two countries since their independence from Britain in 1947.
02:58Talking about the average Kashmiri, the population at this point in time, I think that they have suffered a lot.
03:09From what we've heard is that obviously it is very, very difficult for the Kashmiris to, you know, survive.
03:18I think the Pakistan, not just our military, but also the civilian leadership is deeply committed to resolving the Kashmir
03:29issue.
03:30Following the outbreak of the U.S.-Israel war against Iran on February the 28th
03:35and the subsequent Strait of Hormuz disruption,
03:38Islamabad has been playing a major role as a mediator between the U.S. and Iran,
03:44including brokering a ceasefire.
03:47This means that there is almost no international pressure on Pakistan to mend its ties with India, at least for
03:55now.
03:56I think we've managed to beautifully place ourselves, not just as a regional, you know, deterrence
04:03in terms of being a nuclear Muslim country, but also as a keeper of peace and stability.
04:09It has definitely made the Modi government in New Delhi very insecure that we are exploring
04:15or rather reviving our diplomatic ties with Iran because they were really banking on their relationship
04:22even as a mediator in this region.
04:25It would have been far better if Pakistan would have chosen to normalize its relation with India,
04:30if India would have chosen to normalize its relation with Pakistan.
04:33But for the moment, Pakistan is, you know, dealing with certain priorities in front of it.
04:38In the present circumstances, is there a chance that the two rivals could bury the hatchet?
04:43The real threat to peace and to the Kashmir issue at this point in time,
04:49from progressing in terms of building that peace or everlasting peace for that matter,
04:57is right now I think it is none other than Narendra Modi.
05:01I mean, yes, historical aspect aside, I think that unless this government goes,
05:10we are not going to see any real progress.
05:13It is very difficult to revive talks or even revive the relationship.
05:17But, you know, over the last one year, absolutely there has been no attempt to revive the relationship
05:22or to bring the relationship on a positive track.
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