The Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center held a roundtable discussion on “How History Shapes India-Pakistan Relations” with Tridivesh Maini, associate fellow at the Observer Research Foundation’s Centre for Resources Management in India.

In 2011, India and Pakistan resumed formal peace talks that were broken off after the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai. While this is a step forward, reducing the trust deficit will require addressing misunderstandings that stem from decades of hostility. This history of animosity has influenced the narrative of present-day negotiations. Mr. Maini discussed the contemporary relevance of events such as the partition of British India, and the India-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971. He also addressed the findings of the recently published book Warriors after War, which he co-edited. The book compiles interviews with retired military leaders from India and Pakistan, and discusses the significance of their response on issues such as Kashmir, regional terrorism and Afghanistan.

Tridivesh Maini has written widely on the history of India-Pakistan relations. He authored South Asian Cooperation and the Role of the Punjabs, and co-authored Humanity Amidst Insanity: Hope During and After the Indo-Pak Partition with Tahir Malik and Ali Farooq Malik. Maini has previously worked as a senior staff writer with The Indian Express and as a research associate with The Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore.

A discussion with

Tridivesh Singh Maini
Associate Fellow
Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi

Moderated by

Shikha Bhatnagar
Associate Director, South Asia Center
Atlantic Council