This is but natural, given the scale and scope of the political change involved in India’s nuclear policy as well as the approach to Pakistan and the dispute over J&K. Yet the prime minister has every reason to press ahead with negotiations on Kashmir. For, he recognises a simple fact that the Indian establishment tends to ignore: the final settlement of J&K dispute is in India’s interest.

As a prudent risk-taker, the PM is aware that the huge uncertainty in negotiating with Pakistan has been significantly reduced over the years, first by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who initiated the talks on Kashmir, and then by General Musharraf, who has begun to demonstrate considerable flexibility on Jammu and Kashmir.

Although Musharraf has had the tendency to shoot from the hip on Kashmir in front of television cameras in the past, his latest remarks must be assessed for their own inherent merit and timing. First, his latest proposals come in the wake of a sustained back channel negotiation on Kashmir between New Delhi and Islamabad over the last many months.

At their meeting in Havana in September Dr Singh and General Musharraf for the first time acknowledged in public that there was “progress” in the Kashmir negotiations. And that they would work to reduce the remaining “divergence” in the negotiating positions on Kashmir. Musharraf’s latest comments fit into a pattern that has emerged since he visited India in April 2005.

In their New Delhi talks, Dr Singh and General Musharraf had outlined the basic terms for a J&K solution. For Musharraf, status quo in Kashmir was not acceptable. For Dr Singh, any territorial change in J&K was unacceptable. Both of them agreed that the dividing line in Kashmir should become irrelevant.

... contd.