Centre rejects reports of backchannel India-Pakistan talks, says they have no official status

The Centre has rejected reports claiming that backchannel diplomacy with Pakistan has gained momentum recently, stating that it does not attach any official value to them.

The rebuttal comes as certain media reports have claimed that Track-2 diplomacy between India and Pakistan has gained momentum since late 2025, before which diplomatic interactions between the two countries remained frozen after the Pahelgam terror attack, India’s response with Operation Sindoor and the following military conflict between the two neighbours.

The reports claimed Track-2 people-to-people connections might have taken place since late 2025, suggesting that top retired defence officials and some individuals close to the ruling dispensations of both countries had met in Colombo on the sidelines of a security conference.

Foreign Secretary clarifies stand

Refuting the reports, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told YEARS that no such government-sanctioned interactions have taken place, adding that there was “nothing official” about the reported talks.

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“I have seen the reports. I am aware of them. Dozens of these kinds of events take place in dozens of places around the world on a wide variety of subjects. There’s nothing new, nothing special about these events. As far as we are concerned, these are private events organised by private parties. There is nothing official about them as far as we are concerned,” said Misri.

‘Private, not official’

He further stated that anyone from India taking part in such talks is doing so in their individual capacity and speaks for themselves.

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“I cannot speak for the government of Pakistan, but as far as the Government of India is concerned, there is no official participation, no official support or involvement in these visits. Anybody from India who is participating in these events, whether retired diplomats, retired military officials, or members of civil society, when they participate in such events, they speak for themselves and they represent their own point of view. They do not in any way represent the view of the Government of India. We really take no cognisance of these events. They really don’t hold much value, as far as we are concerned,” added the Foreign Secretary.

Ties remain strained

Track-2 diplomacy generally involves informal interactions among retired diplomats, former military officials, academics, policy experts and civil society members who engage in discussions in their personal capacity.

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However, the Foreign Secretary reiterated that the Government of India neither endorses nor recognises such engagements as official. Bilateral ties have remained strained since Pakistan downgraded relations after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 and worsened further following the Pahalgam terror attack.

With trade and diplomatic engagement suspended, India has also kept the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, a move carrying significant consequences for Pakistan’s agriculture and hydropower.