A day after Pakistan extended an invitation to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit it will host in October, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar made it clear that the “era of uninterrupted dialogue” with Islamabad is over. Speaking on Friday at a book launch event in New Delhi, Jaishankar reiterated India’s firm stance that regular diplomatic talks with Pakistan will not resume until Islamabad effectively curbs terror groups engaged in cross-border terrorism.
“The era of uninterrupted dialogue with Pakistan is over. Actions have consequences,” Jaishankar asserted, referencing the ongoing situation in Jammu and Kashmir, where Article 370 has been abrogated. He further emphasized, “The issue now is what kind of relationship we can contemplate with Pakistan. We are not passive, and we will react accordingly, whether events take a positive or negative direction.”
India has maintained a strict policy of conditional engagement with Pakistan, insisting that meaningful dialogue can only proceed if Pakistan takes concrete steps to dismantle terror networks operating from its soil. This firm stance was reinforced in Jaishankar’s remarks, highlighting that India is prepared to respond to any developments in its relationship with Pakistan, regardless of the direction they take.
