Indo-Pak dialogue

The previous Hindu nationalist administration initiated the dialogue after a two-year break. The new government timetable envisaged a series of official level talks between the foreign secretaries and a possible ministerial meeting in August.

To remove tension and misgivings, frank discussions between the two countries are an absolute necessity . I personally hope that the Kashmir issue will be resolved in the greater interest of this region. After a landmark summit meeting between the former Hindu nationalist prime minister Atal-Behari Vajpayee and President Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad last January, India's new left-leaning government wasted no time after taking over and pledged to continue with the previous government's peace initiative.

A new commitment between the two countries to inform each other about their nuclear installations and facilities was also an welcome move.