Indian home secy says India wants to improve relations with neighbouring country
India’s Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said that the stalled talks between India and Pakistan can be resumed if the neighbouring country gives a “proper response”.
When asked whether there is any possibility of resuming the stalled dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad, he said, “If Pakistan responds properly, talks can be held.” However, he did not elaborate further.
Singh said that India wants to improve its relations with Pakistan. “A neighbour is a neighbour. Friends can be changed but neighbours cannot be changed. We also want that our relations with our neighbour country improve.”
The home minister’s statement comes a few days after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj indicated that there may be a window for resumption of talks with Pakistan. “There is no full stop in diplomacy; it’s always commas and semi-colons. And, after all this, people always move forward. There are no full stops in diplomatic journeys,” she said.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit said in New Delhi that he “could not agree more” with Swaraj’s comments, maintaining that the time has come for making a “new beginning” in bilateral ties.
India had cancelled the scheduled foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan last month after the Pakistani high commissioner met some Kashmiri leaders from Jammu and Kashmir days before the meeting.
The Pakistani envoy went ahead with his meetings despite New Delhi making it clear that if he chooses to talk to the Kashmiri leaders, India will cancel foreign secretary-level talks.