Government may put FS-level talks with Pakistan on hold

India is “mulling all options” on the foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan that are due in Islamabad January 15, and also continuation of the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue, following the Pathankot airbase terror attack, and will wait to see how Pakistan reacts. Despite being convinced the terrorists sneaked in from Pakistan, India doesn’t want to resort to any “knee-jerk reaction”, but there is a possibility the FS-level talks may be deferred. The government will eventually place the evidence before Pakistan on the intercepts and call records of those who had carried out the Pathankot strike to prove they indeed infiltrated from Pakistan.

Speculation is also rife that the two NSAs may talk or meet before foreign secretary S. Jaishankar’s proposed visit to Pakistan in mid-January.