HOW will India react to Pakistan’s latest overture? It remains to be seen.

For its part, Pakistan has, by inviting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in Islamabad, opened the door to an opportunity for the two countries’ leaderships to demonstrate some much-needed civility.

Though nothing groundbreaking is expected from the occasion — indeed, it seems more likely that PM Modi may decline the invitation altogether — the possibility of the Pakistani and Indian heads of government engaging, even if perfunctorily, would be something to look forward to. The two countries downgraded their diplomatic ties in August 2019 and recalled their high commissioners. This is now the longest period in peacetime that the two countries have been without their top diplomats in each other’s capital, even though the decision hasn’t benefited either in any tangible way.

Pakistan made the first move in May last year when then-foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari went to Goa to attend the SCO’s Council of Foreign Ministers. Though the reception in India was far from warm despite the significance of his visit, Mr Bhutto-Zardari’s attendance sent a positive signal that Pakistan remains open to engaging with New Delhi diplomatically.

Will Mr Modi reciprocate? While the SCO is a multilateral platform and, therefore, of limited import as far as India-Pakistan ties are concerned, the Indian PM’s presence in Islamabad would nevertheless be seen as deeply significant. If nothing else, the sidelines of the SCO summit offer the two sides a chance to start talking about talks.

Though his country has advanced ahead of Pakistan in terms of economic development, it still shares a host of challenges with it, such as poverty and inequality, public health, and climate change. These ‘soft issues’ can provide a platform for broader engagement. There is no denying the major differences between the two countries, as well as the thorny disputes that they have fought many wars on. But they are not being expected to make progress on those just yet — just to take some tentative steps towards restoring some ‘normality’ in their relationship.

The ball is, for now, in Mr Modi’s court. He has not been getting the same traction by demonising Pakistan for his constituencies, as the recent elections in India have shown. Perhaps it is time for him to try something different.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2024