In dealing with Pakistan, India must understand why our neighbour matters to a range of powers including China, Russia, the US, various European countries and Saudi Arabia. Over time, we complacently persuaded ourselves that India’s much greater power had diminished Pakistan’s attractiveness to others. In fact, US President Donald Trump’s recent outreach, Russia’s deepening ties, and China’s steady support to Islamabad underline that the major powers are very much engaged with our troublesome neighbour.

Pakistan is attractive to many countries for at least three enduring reasons: Location, disruptive capabilities, and power.

First, Pakistan’s location matters. The country abuts Afghanistan, Iran, and China (and India). It is proximate to the Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia. Through A

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