Comment by Riaz Haq on August 20, 2022 at 10:59am

'Pakistan isn't Collapsing, India Should Focus on Silver Linings. Boycott or War Aren't Options'


https://youtu.be/GNapL0APNUY


In a 30-minute interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire to discuss his book ‘India’s Pakistan Conundrum’, Sharat Sabharwal ( ex Indian Ambassador to Pakistan) identified three preconceived notions that the Indian people must discard. First, he says it’s not in India’s interests to promote the disintegration of Pakistan. “The resulting chaos will not leave India untouched”.

Second, Indians must disabuse themselves of the belief that India has the capacity to inflict a decisive military blow on Pakistan in conventional terms. “The nuclear dimension has made it extremely risky, if not impossible, for India to give a decisive military blow to Pakistan to coerce it into changing its behaviour.”

Third, Indians must disabuse themselves of the belief that they can use trade to punish Pakistan. “Use of trade as an instrument to punish Pakistan is both short-sighted and ineffective because of the relatively small volume of Pakistani exports to India.”

https://youtu.be/GNapL0APNUY

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Historically, the relationship between India and Pakistan has been mired in conflicts, war, and lack of trust. Pakistan has continued to loom large on India's horizon despite the growing gap between the two countries. This book examines the nature of the Pakistani state, its internal dynamics, and its impact on India.


The text looks at key issues of the India-Pakistan relationship, appraises a range of India's policy options to address the Pakistan conundrum, and proposes a way forward for India's Pakistan policy. Drawing on the author's experience of two diplomatic stints in Pakistan, including as the High Commissioner of India, the book offers a unique insider's perspective on this critical relationship.


A crucial intervention in diplomatic history and the analysis of India's Pakistan policy, the book will be of as much interest to the general reader as to scholars and researchers of foreign policy, strategic studies, international relations, South Asia studies, diplomacy, and political science.


https://books.telegraph.co.uk/Product/Sharat-Sabharwal/Indias-Pakistan-Conundrum--Managing-a-Complex-Relationship/26726289

Comment by Riaz Haq on December 15, 2025 at 4:26pm

AI Overview

Ashis Nandy, a prominent Indian political psychologist and theorist, extensively analyzes the complex, intertwined relationship between India and Pakistan, viewing their conflict less through geopolitics and more through shared, mythologized histories, particularly focusing on the psychological impact of the 1947 Partition and the creation of a "fantastic Pakistan" in Indian imagination. He argues that India's self-identity is deeply linked to this imagined Pakistan, a bond reinforced by colonial legacies and shared cultural complexities, leading to persistent conflict and a "splintered self" for many South Asians, where identities are layered and contradictory. 

Key Themes in Nandy's Work on India-Pakistan:

• The Myth of Pakistan: Nandy posits that Pakistan isn't just a nation but a powerful myth in India, shaping national identity and public life, even when it contradicts reality.
• Colonial Legacies: He explores how British colonial policies, particularly arbitrary borders and the imposition of Western ideas, created enduring conflicts and complex identities in both nations, as seen in his work on partitioned consciousness.
• Psychology of Violence & Partition: Drawing from his clinical psychology background, Nandy examines the trauma of Partition, focusing on how individuals and societies cope with mass violence and find resources to confront it, often finding strength within cultural traditions rather than solely through external analysis.
• Shared, Splintered Identities: He highlights that Indians and Pakistanis, due to shared histories, possess complex, multi-layered identities, often comfortable with internal contradictions, a stark contrast to more homogenous national narratives.
• Critique of Modernity & Nationalism: Nandy questions modern nation-states and nationalism, suggesting they often fail to capture the nuanced realities of diverse societies like India and Pakistan, leading to conflict and distorted self-perceptions. 

In essence, Nandy's perspective moves beyond typical political analyses to delve into the deep psychological and cultural roots of the India-Pakistan dynamic, revealing how shared histories and constructed myths fuel their ongoing relationship. 

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