‘The relevant ‘T’ word is terrorism, not Tango,’ India responds to Pakistan’s call for better ties

In a rare development, India's External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, visited Islamabad in October 2024 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, marking the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly nine years.

India has responded sharply to remarks made by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar regarding the improvement of Indo-Pakistani relations. Speaking at a weekly briefing on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the key issue in the bilateral relationship is 'terrorism'; not the 'Tango,' as suggested by Dar.

Earlier this week, Dar had urged India to take steps to improve relations, stating, “It takes two to tango.” He also called for the creation of a conducive environment to foster better ties between the two countries. Dar underscored that normalising relations with India required mutual effort and cooperation, a stance he reiterated in his comments on Pakistan's diplomatic outreach since the current government took office.

The remarks came amid ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, particularly after a 2019 airstrike by India in Balakot, Pakistan, targeting a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist camp in retaliation for the Pulwama terror attack. Diplomatic relations further soured following India's revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.

Pakistan's foreign policy has aimed at rebuilding diplomatic ties with neighbouring countries, including India, with Dar's recent statement advocating for a mutual willingness to improve ties. He also revealed plans to visit Bangladesh next month to strengthen Pakistan's relationship with Dhaka, following political changes in Bangladesh.

The relationship between the two countries remains fraught with challenges, including disputes over the participation of India in the upcoming 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled to take place in Pakistan. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made it clear that India’s team will not travel to Pakistan due to strained diplomatic ties and security concerns.

In an indication of the enduring tension, the 2025 Champions Trophy, which will feature 15 matches across Pakistan and Dubai, has raised concerns, particularly regarding the India-Pakistan clash on February 23 at the Dubai International Stadium.

India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since the 2012-13 season, and Pakistan's hosting of international cricket was halted from 2009 to 2015 due to a terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team.

In a rare development, India's External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, visited Islamabad in October 2024 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, marking the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly nine years. Despite this diplomatic engagement, the core issues of Kashmir and cross-border terrorism remain unresolved, continuing to strain relations.