India and Pakistan have had a long and complicated history of foreign relations. Since their independence from British rule in 1947, both countries have been involved in various disputes and conflicts that have strained their bilateral ties. In this blog post, we will take a look at the history of India-Pakistan Foreign Relations and discuss the latest steps taken by the two countries to improve their ties. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, recently made a historic visit to India, marking the first official visit by a Pakistani official in 12 years. Learn about the complicated history of India-Pakistan foreign relations and the significance of this visit for bilateral ties.

India-Pakistan Foreign Relations History

India and Pakistan’s relations have been tumultuous since their inception. The two countries have been involved in several conflicts over the years, including the 1947 Kashmir conflict, the 1965 India-Pakistan war, and the 1999 Kargil war. The two countries have also been involved in multiple border skirmishes and terrorist attacks on each other’s soil.

Despite these conflicts, India and Pakistan have made several attempts to improve their relations. In 1972, the two countries signed the Shimla Agreement, which aimed to resolve the Kashmir conflict through peaceful means. However, the agreement was not implemented effectively, and the issue remains unresolved to this day.

In 1999, India and Pakistan signed the Lahore Declaration, which was aimed at improving trade relations and reducing tensions between the two countries. However, the Kargil war, which took place soon after the signing of the agreement, derailed the peace process.

In recent years, there have been several attempts to improve India and Pakistan’s relations. In 2015, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to Lahore, where he met with then-Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The meeting was seen as a significant step towards improving relations between the two countries.

However, tensions between the two countries have been high in recent years, with cross-border terrorism and the Kashmir conflict being the primary sources of tension.India-Pakistan Foreign Relations is always goes up and down path.

Latest Steps Taken to Improve India-Pakistan Foreign Relations

On May-04-2023, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, made a visit to India to attend the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. The meeting provided a platform for both countries to engage in discussions and work towards finding solutions to issues such as cross-border terrorism and the Kashmir conflict. The visit signaled a willingness from both countries to engage in constructive dialogue and work towards bettering their bilateral ties.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s trip is the first visit to India by a Pakistani Foreign Minister ever since Hina Rabbani Khar met the former Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna in 2011. Khar is currently serving as the minister of state for foreign affairs. Remember this visit is 12 years after any Pakistani official is visiting India.

This will also be the first high-level visit from Pakistan after Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz visited India in December 2016

In February 2021, India and Pakistan announced a ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC), which is the de facto border between the two countries in Kashmir. The ceasefire has held for over two years and has provided some relief to the people living in the border areas who have been affected by cross-border shelling.

Conclusion

India and Pakistan’s foreign relations have been marred by conflicts and disputes over the years. However, both countries have made several attempts to improve their relations, with varying degrees of success. The recent visit of Pakistan’s Foreign Minister to India for the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the ceasefire along the LoC are positive steps towards improving bilateral ties. It remains to be seen whether these steps will lead to a lasting improvement in India and Pakistan’s relations or whether the two countries will continue to be mired in conflict.

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