Backfiring
ISLAMABAD: Former Indian Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief Amarjit Singh Dulat has acknowledged that India’s attempts to isolate Pakistan internationally have instead led to New Delhi gradually facing isolation itself.
Dulat stressed that dialogue with Pakistan must continue uninterrupted. He rejected the longstanding Indian narrative that Pakistan would break apart or collapse, describing it as an outdated idea.
“Pakistan will not disintegrate or fall apart. That is never going to happen,” Dulat said in recent remarks reported widely in Pakistani and international media.
He added that developments in Balochistan do not alter Pakistan’s overall stability and resilience, stating that the country continues to move forward regardless of such challenges.
These comments align with Dulat’s consistent advocacy for engagement with Pakistan. In earlier statements this year, he has repeatedly called for talks, saying “we must move forward with Pakistan” and that “talks lead to a way forward.”
The remarks come amid renewed track-two diplomatic activity between the two countries. Reports indicate multiple informal meetings involving retired officials and experts have taken place in neutral venues following the May 2025 escalation.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office has welcomed such positive signals from Indian voices, including RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale and former military figures, who favoured keeping dialogue channels open.
Bilateral trade between India and Pakistan, which once approached $2.5 billion annually before restrictions in 2019, remains minimal. Official dialogue has been suspended since India’s revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Dulat, who headed RAW from 1999 to 2000 and has authored books on Kashmir and India-Pakistan relations including *The Spy Chronicles*, is known for his pragmatic views on the need for sustained communication between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
His latest intervention reinforces the view held in some Indian strategic circles that confrontation and isolation policies have delivered limited results. Analysts note that statements from former intelligence chiefs like Dulat often reflect deeper assessments within the Indian establishment.
In Islamabad, officials view these remarks as a constructive contribution to the broader discourse on de-escalation. However, Pakistan maintains that any meaningful process must address core disputes, particularly Kashmir, while respecting territorial integrity and countering terrorism allegations.
Public and expert opinion in Pakistan sees Dulat’s comments as recognition of ground realities. Many argue that back-channel and track-two efforts serve as important pressure-release mechanisms during periods of heightened tension.
Challenges remain significant. Differences over cross-border militancy, water sharing under the Indus Waters Treaty, and regional security continue to test relations.
Dulat’s remarks highlight a growing realisation in sections of the Indian strategic community that long-term stability requires pragmatic engagement rather than perpetual confrontation.
Whether these informal signals translate into policy-level shifts will become clearer in the coming months. Ground situation along the Line of Control and progress on mutual concerns will remain decisive factors.