India’s Pakistan Conundrum: Managing a Complex Relationship

Historically, the relationship between India and Pakistan has been mired in conflicts, war, and lack of trust. Pakistan has continued to loom large on India’s horizon despite the growing gap between the two countries. This book examines the nature of the Pakistani state, its internal dynamics, and its impact on India.

The text looks at key issues of the India-Pakistan relationship, appraises a range of India’s policy options to address the Pakistan conundrum, and proposes a way forward for India’s Pakistan policy. Drawing on the author’s experience of two diplomatic stints in Pakistan, including as the High Commissioner of India, the book offers a unique insider’s perspective on this critical relationship.

A crucial intervention in diplomatic history and the analysis of India’s Pakistan policy, the book will be of as much interest to the general reader as to scholars and researchers of foreign policy, strategic studies, international relations, South Asia studies, diplomacy, and political science.

Sharat Sabharwal joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1975 and over a long diplomatic career, spanning 38 years, held various senior positions in India’s foreign policy set-up. He was Deputy High Commissioner of India to Pakistan (1995-99), Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the UN in Geneva (1999-2002), Ambassador to Uzbekistan (2002-05) and High Commissioner to Pakistan (2009-13). After his retirement from the Foreign Service, he served as Central Information Commissioner from 2013 to 2017. He is currently a Distinguished Fellow with the Ananta Centre, New Delhi, India. He has been commenting on foreign policy issues, notably concerning Pakistan and Afghanistan, in TV discussions and print media.