A Tale Of Two Frontiers

Context: India’s deepened bilateral ties with Bangladesh have provided some lessons for better India- Pakistan relations.

Factors responsible for deepened India-Bangladesh relation

• Political stability and rapid economic growth in Bangladesh: Resulted in an enabling environment for the construction of robust bilateral ties - focusing on issues of trade, transit and connectivity.
• Initiatives by India:
  • Role played in the creation of Bangladesh in 1971.
  • Invested diplomatic energy into transforming bilateral relations. 
  • Boundary settlement and resolving the maritime territorial dispute with Bangladesh.
• Cooperation in countering terrorism.
• Enlightened national economic interest: Thus, they have steadily moved forward on issues relating to 

Factors responsible for India’s poor relation with Pakistan

• Cross-border terrorism: Pakistan army is using cross-border terrorism as a political lever to compel India to negotiate on Kashmir.
• Lack of popular support in Pakistan: to have enhanced relation with India. 
• Some grievances of Pakistan: e.g. persistent resentment at India’s role in Pakistan’s vivisection in 1971. 
• Politicisation of economic issues: It is not clear if Pakistan is ready to separate the two and expand trade ties while talking to India on Kashmir.
• Kashmir issue overshadowing economic interest: Pakistan has made sensible bilateral commercial cooperation and regional economic integration hostages to the Kashmir question. 

Way forward: Move forward on the positive affirmations given by Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa:

• He called on India and Pakistan to “bury the past and move forward”.
• Talked about a new desire to put geo-economics above geopolitics.
• Underlined the importance of pursuing national well-being through regional cooperation.