Now Reading: Track II talks with Pakistan shift to conflict management after Op Sindoor
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Track II talks with Pakistan shift to conflict management after Op Sindoor
Track II talks with Pakistan shift to conflict management after Op Sindoor
India and Pakistan have held at least three rounds of Track II diplomatic talks since Operation Sindoor in May 2025, with a new focus on conflict management rather than dispute resolution, ThePrint…
India and Pakistan have held at least three rounds of Track II diplomatic talks since Operation Sindoor in May 2025, with a new focus on conflict management rather than dispute resolution, ThePrint reported citing sources. The discussions, hosted in West Asian nations and a capital east of India, now operate within existing political realities and are driven by preventing escalation, not resolving long-standing issues.
A source told ThePrint that Pakistan's army has taken more formal control over the process, selecting participants and messages. The talks have moved sensitive political topics like Jammu and Kashmir and the Indus Waters Treaty down the agenda. Two more rounds are scheduled later this year.
The most recent meeting was held on 2 February in Doha over two days, with diplomats and former military officers from both sides. An earlier round in December 2025 in a capital east of India focused on military-to-military relations. Findings from some dialogues are briefed to India's national security officials.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Operation Sindoor has fundamentally altered the Track II playbook between India and Pakistan. For decades, these unofficial dialogues aimed at resolving core disputes like Jammu and Kashmir. Now, with formal diplomatic channels frozen after the 2025 operation, the purpose has narrowed to preventing accidental escalation, a lower ambition but a more realistic one given the dominance of Pakistan's army over its state apparatus. The shift to conflict management means issues like the Indus Waters Treaty, which India holds in abeyance, are being deliberately sidelined in these talks. With two more rounds scheduled this year, the key signal to watch is whether New Delhi gains actionable intelligence on Islamabad's red lines, or if the dialogues become mere rituals that do little to reduce military tensions.
Source: theprint.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
