A file photo of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
The Indian government has begun making preparations for the meeting of the two Prime Ministers, and a confirmation had been given to Nawaz Sharif’s envoy Shaharyar Khan who was in Delhi earlier this week.
Singh had skipped the UNGA meetings in 2012, but was expected to go this year. But with India set to go for general elections in May 2014, whether this meeting would pave the way for the much awaited visit of Singh to Pakistan it is still uncertain, analysts said.
Analysts were divided on whether the meeting would result in the revival of the composite dialogue, what structure the dialogue would take and whether the Indian PM would visit before the Indian elections scheduled for May 2014.
Although the India’s Prime Minister Office (PMO) has confirmed a meeting days after Pakistan proposed it, what the dynamics will be are yet to be seen.
The internal and domestic perceptions of such a meeting will be, overall, more important than the international repercussions.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is waiting to see how Pakistan will engage India and whether or not to make this an election issue. The Singh-Gandhi team is determined to avoid a defensive appearance in its foreign policy.
Nawaz Sharif's special advisor for foreign affairs Sartaz Aziz first came up with the proposal of a meeting when he met foreign minister Salman Khurshid last week on the sidelines of an international security conference in Brunei.
How the meetings will be structured is still being worked out, and whether Singh will meet US President Barack Obama after his meeting with Nawaz Sharif is not yet known.
At his Brunei meeting with Khurshid, Aziz said that India must seize the initiative at its top level to improve relations as he renewed Nawaz Sharif's invite for Singh to visit Pakistan.
Khurshid had responded by saying that it was now time to show 'specific steps' for forward movement in Indo-Pak relations.
COMMENTS (22)
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India reminds of the weimer republic.problems caused by external forces.Hitler comes to power, in our case bjp with modi.but they will loose, the resolute belief in the concept of India will make them loose again. Rab rakha
@Shabi: your funny and foolish comment no doubt. I mean to say what are the plans those are running in background?? is there any plan like Kargil-2? or any others plan??
Pak - China friendship is ok for me because at least one country have friendship with Pakistan but I don't believe Pak - India friendship because pakistan failed to preserve the his faith for India.
India don't need any fake relation with pakistan, india will get nothing for this friendship.
Its always good to meet with one's neighbour, however there are outstanding issues that need to be addressed and PM Singh really should not waste his time or breath as Elections are due in India very soon, so let the new PM deal with policy matter, as it is, its been very soft and lame over tenure of the present Congress Govt in their dealings , even after Mumbai Mayhem ! So let the new Govt decide as to the policy with these neighbours, who have always had deficit values in terms of trust, faith or promises ! God willing Modi, will get the real Mandate and without the hangers on or coalition to really act and deal with the neighbours and create policies that actually mean anything of substance too ! As India can not simply sit and observe the charade being played out, by Pakistan after every serious event and destruction caused by their so called "Non State Actors" on Indian soil ! It really does not matter much as to who is sitting in Islamabad, as the decisions that matter to India have always been made in Rawalpindi GHQ, no matter what they say !
@Aschraful Makhlooq: The only agenda will be the fixing of dates for MMS visiting his native village in Pakistan and NS visiting his in India.
Meeting a normal activity but the most important question rises here,id est,in Nawaz and MMS meeting that what agenda shall be discussed and either the discussed agenda shall be implemented or just shall be verbal for wasting time and money just for photo session????? Because Indian and Pakistani leaders have met many times but every time as usual this statement given,id est,both countries emphasized on continuity of the peace talks.....
Talks had at least one reason when Pakistan had a cricket team of some standing ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Now even that is gone.
@It Is (still) Economy Stupid: "Both PM needs photo to show their respective vote banks." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ And the Pakistani tax payer has already paid for expensive suits for Mr NS for his China visit.
@ Gp65
I agree to most of your statement. However you should also acknowledge the fact that it was India's stubbornness then, when everything was ready for the Kashmir issue to be resolved, all of a sudden Indian government decided not to work on it further. You can watch the details of this event on youtube, and if I remember the name correctly, Jaswant Singh also stated that it was India's fault to withdrew from the resolution ceremony at the last moments.
However what we can do is to at least hope for a better future, for which I have kept my fingers crossed.
@Babloo Now try total disengagement and ‘mind your own business’.
I like this idea as well. Good riddance.
This guy will be remembered as the worst Prime minister in recent times of Indian history. Good luck this guy won't be there in 2014. It's same combination again like before BJP and Nawaz Sharif.
Well I am hoping a good relation between India & Pakistan! As Always! :)
Mr Vivek said it better than me. I would add, Pakistan has tried wars , to get Kashmir ( 48, 65, kargil ) . India has tried talks. Both have failed. Now try total disengagement and 'mind your own business'.
In 2014 general election, Indian Congress Party is going to lose the election and Mr. Manmohan Singh will not remain Indian Prime Minister, therefore, it would be more appropriate for Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan to negotiate peace with the newly formed government in India, once the 2014 Indian elections are over and result have been announced by the Election Commission of India.
Well since the Big Boss said Go Slow on India nothing is expected except for a photo op Both PM needs photo to show their respective vote banks. Also this will give them an excuse to stay one extra day of shopping in NY.
@Rahul, Doing the same thing over and over again , expecting a different result is one of the hallmarks of idiocy. You seem to have not learnt anything from history.
@Rahul
Can you explain why the comment from Mr. Babloo is considered sadistic by you ? 67 years spans across 2 generations, which is good enough time for anyone to mend relations. But, this is not happening between India and Pakistan. Persisting with the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result is the definition of INSANITY, as elucidated by Einstein. And that is illogical as well.
@ BP dude your frustration is quite understandable (Pak-China relations) but d,nt worry man Endia can,t have hold over whole globe its better for you people to come out of heaven of fools before its too late,,,,,
It's a waste of time for both India and Pakistan.
Why Pakistan will show interest to improve relation with India??? They have ALL WEATHER FRIEND China is not it???????//
I hope it leads towards something substantive and does not end like the failed Agra Summit.