According to India’s assessment, there are clearly “multiple centres of power” now in Pakistan which makes it extremely difficult to be certain about deliverables. While India has its channels open with different power constituents, sources said, New Delhi will have to approach the meeting with Zaradari on an assumption that he represents all sections of the Government. India is clear that currently it is Zardari who is in complete control of the democratically-elected Government.

To that extent, India is expecting a substantive response to investigations into the attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul, on repeated ceasefire violations and general cross-border terrorism. Indian officials see a pattern in the manner in which the massive terror attack on Hotel Marriot in Islamabad is followed up with a ceasefire violation along the Line of Control, thereby foreclosing any opportunity to show solidarity with Pakistan.

This confusion, sources said, makes it clear that the ISI and, to quite an extent, the military are currently a source of “trouble” when it comes to strengthening Indo-Pak relations. So, India feels there is no point in trying to “get after” the newly-elected President and the democratic government in Pakistan given the fluid power equations in Islamabad.

However, New Delhi is clear that this assessment will not come in the way of applying pressure on Zardari in order to test the resolve of the new Pakistan Government to cooperate on terror. For all the apparent differences, the Government is of the view that Zardari and Army chief General Ashfaq Kayani do need each other and, therefore, have a relationship which can be exploited.

On a broader plane, top sources said, the various power centres in Pakistan are acting at cross-purposes with a complete lack of central control and that, in turn, has created a huge policy dilemma in India. With this in mind, New Delhi thinks that it needs to be prepared for surprises and look to manage the relationship through engagement at various levels.

In this context, India will seek to insulate the peace process while continuing to press for action on the terror front. Aware that meeting Singh on the margins of the UN General Assembly will only increase Zardari’s international legitimacy, India has already conveyed that it expects action on terrorism and ceasefire violations to give a positive start to this fresh engagement.

When asked about whether the issue of terrorism will come up at the meeting with Zardari, Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon sought to be calibrated in his response. “I think we will discuss the entire gamut of bilateral issues. These sorts of issues are also an important part of the relationship. But there is more to the relationship than just that. We will cover all our issues and concerns when we meet.”