Peace needs partners, not just promises

When Mirwaiz Umar Farooq recently called for renewed dialogue between India and Pakistan, he tapped into a desire that almost everyone in the region shares. No one in their right mind wants perpetual conflict. Every regular person in India wants a stable, quiet neighbourhood where their kids don’t have to grow up under the shadow of a baseline threat. But the hard truth is that you can’t build a lasting peace on a foundation of empty words. It requires trust, genuine intent, and, most importantly, safety.
India has never been the one slamming the door on talks. Over the decades, one government after another has extended an olive branch to Pakistan, hoping to finally turn the page. But too often, those hands were bitten by cross-border violence and tragic acts of terrorism. It’s hard to sit down at a diplomatic table when the ground beneath you is shaking. That is why India’s stance has been so unyielding: you simply cannot hold a meaningful conversation while violence is still being actively encouraged.
It is easy to point to peace processes in other parts of the world and ask, “Why not here?” But South Asia’s wounds are deep and unique. India’s caution isn’t just stubborn politics; it is the result of decades of painful scars. Real people—ordinary citizens and the soldiers sent to protect them—have paid for these lessons with their lives. Before anyone can expect formal talks to start up again, there needs to be a real, verifiable effort to shut down terror networks and build a modicum of trust.
Meanwhile, life on the ground in Jammu and Kashmir is changing. If you look at the region today, you see a massive push for everyday essentials: better roads, new tunnels, upgraded schools, working hospitals, and a massive boom in tourism and investment. The area still faces plenty of hurdles, but the stability of the last few years has given regular families a real shot at a normal, prosperous life. Protecting that progress has to be the priority.
Ultimately, talking is always better than fighting. But a bridge cannot be built from just one side. True peace is a mutual responsibility. You cannot cultivate a friendship when one party refuses to drop the weapon behind their back.
India is ready to talk—it always has been. But as a sovereign country, its first duty is to protect its people. A peace that is fragile and built entirely on wishful thinking won’t last. A peace built on strength, mutual respect, and verifiable trust will. Taking a cautious, measured approach right now isn’t a rejection of diplomacy; it’s a commitment to making sure that when we finally do sit down to talk, the effort actually succeeds.