Pakistan, India hold Colombo dialogue

Serving officials join Track 1.5 talks on crisis communication

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistani and Indian officials held a rare meeting in Colombo this week in the presence of former diplomats, retired military officials and politicians from the ruling alliances of both countries under what is known as a Track 1.5 dialogue, according to sources familiar with the development.

There have been several rounds of such unofficial interactions between the two sides since last year's four-day conflict, but it is unusual for serving officials from Pakistan and India to participate in these discussions.

Sources told The Express Tribune on Thursday that foreign ministry officials from both countries attended the Track 1.5 dialogue, which also brought together former diplomats, retired military officers and politicians.

A senior representative of the BJP was among the participants, along with a senior politician from Pakistan's ruling alliance.

The gathering also included a former Indian Army chief and a retired two-star Pakistani military officer who, since leaving service, has been involved in backchannel efforts between the two countries.

The Express Tribune is aware of the identities of the participants but is withholding their names due to the sensitivity of the matter. The Foreign Office, when approached, declined to comment on the development.

Sri Lankan media reports confirmed the dialogue between Indian and Pakistani delegates, saying the primary objective was to strengthen mechanisms for communication during crises and explore measures to prevent and manage potential escalations.

"During the meetings, both sides exchanged notes and held frank discussions on issues related to terrorism and water. The two sides also explored ways to feed insights from the current discussions into formal Track One channels. Track One dialogue involves direct engagement between serving government officials from both countries," according to the reports.

The exact nature of the discussions was not immediately clear. However, one retired diplomat who attended previous rounds of such engagements, said the dialogues were part of broader efforts to explore possibilities for future engagement.

The diplomat said that while there appeared to be an inclination among some Indian participants towards dialogue, the general assessment was that the Modi government was not yet ready to make a move.

Many observers, including some in India, believe that Delhi's policy of seeking Pakistan's diplomatic isolation has not produced the desired results. Since last year's conflict, Pakistan's geostrategic profile has continued to rise, while the Iran crisis has further enhanced Islamabad's relevance.

Against this changing backdrop, a view is emerging in some Indian circles including among voices associated with the RSS that Delhi may need to revisit its policy towards Islamabad.