Rajnath Visit Puts SAARC Ball in Sharif's Court

Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Islamabad next week is a significant decision taken by the Narendra Modi government. It will allow India to convey a clear message about its intent to both Pakistan as well as to the South Asian nations.

Rajnath will be in the Pakistani capital at a time when fresh strains have crept in bilateral relations between the two countries on Kashmir. He will be the first senior Indian leader to visit Pakistan since official contacts between the two sides were suspended following January’s terror attack at the Pathankot airbase.

The primary reason for Rajnath’s visit to Islamabad on August 3 is to attend the SAARC home ministers’ meeting being held there. Pakistan is the host nation for the year-end SAARC Summit and a number of such meetings, involving key functionaries of various South Asian nations, are expected over the next few months.

Therefore, his presence at the meeting makes it clear that India, despite its growing strains with Pakistan, is not going to be a spoiler for the forthcoming Summit of the South Asian nations. But it will also allow him to convey to the Pakistani leadership clearly on what will be the terms of renewed engagement between the two sides.

Rajnath was among the key members of the Modi government who objected to going ahead with the NSA-level talks between India and Pakistan in wake of the Pathankot attack. He had made it clear that India should insist on discussing only terrorism emanating from Pakistani soil against India at the talks. This position, which was later picked up by foreign minister Sushma Swaraj and others, forced the cancellation of the NSA talks.

Of late, Rajnath’s profile in the government also seems to have been raised. The Prime Minister, who was earlier accused of ignoring him and keeping the home minister out of all important decisions, seems to be making an effort on consulting him more on important issues. The home minister and Modi were pictured together deep in consultation in Parliament during the Kashmir debate, conveying a sense of new-found bonhomie between the two.

During his stay in Islamabad, Rajnath is also likely to hold meetings with key figures of the Nawaz Sharif government. India has been extremely critical of the Pakistani role in the ongoing unrest in Kashmir. Therefore, he may well be carrying a message from PM Modi for his Pakistani counterpart in which India is likely to spell out how it plans to deal and engage with Pakistan.

Nawaz Sharif, who has made it clear on a number of occasions in the past on his keenness to engage with Modi, is also looking forward to ensure that the year-end SAARC Summit under his watch is a success. But for this, it is essential that India participates in the Summit.

So far Modi has made it clear that his government is keen on improving and strengthening cooperation between India’s immediate neighbours in South Asia. Rajnath’s presence in Islamabad will convey this message further.

Through this smart move, India is now trying to put the onus of the future of SAARC and of India-Pakistan relations squarely in Nawaz Sharif’s court. If the Pakistani PM is keen on making the SAARC Summit a success, he will have to bring an end to terror activities stemming from Pakistani soil against India.

But if past developments are any guide to the evolving situation, Sharif can only succeed in his endeavour if the Pakistani army is also on the same page with him. Without Rawalpindi’s active support, the Pakistani Prime Minister may once again be left looking helpless in his desire to improve Indo-Pak ties.