NEW DELHI: Former chief of India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Vikram Sood, has publicly stated that peace with Pakistan is “not possible” under the prevailing circumstances, a remark analysts say mirrors New Delhi’s decades-old mindset of refusing to accept Pakistan as a sovereign country in both policy and practice since 1947.
Speaking at the Mangaluru Literature Festival in the Indian state of Karnataka, Sood said that dialogue or compromise with Pakistan carries little meaning unless Islamabad makes what he called a “fundamental change” in its approach. He insisted that India must instead focus on building “strategic strength and self-reliance”.
Sood claimed that negotiations with Pakistan are unlikely to succeed due to what he termed “repeated hostilities”, while advocating stronger military capability as a prerequisite for governance. He cited the Balakot airstrike and the so-called Uri attack as examples of India’s assertive posture.
Political observers said Sood’s statement clearly reflects the deeply-embedded policy mindset in New Delhi that peace with Pakistan is neither intended nor pursued seriously, and that India has never reconciled itself to Pakistan’s sovereign status since independence.
They added that such statements expose India’s aggressive orientation and its preference for confrontation over meaningful dialogue.
Sood also remarked that the United States had not won conventional wars directly since the 1940s, and highlighted China’s economic and manufacturing capability to challenge Washington. He called for India to engage with major powers “logically” rather than rely on outside support.
