Composite dialogue process between India and Pakistan: A way forward

The peace process between India and Pakistan under the banner of Composite Dialogue process (CDP) started in May 1997, when the leaders of two South Asian neighbours proposed the idea of composite dialogue process to address their all contentious issues simultaneously. Both India and Pakistan agreed to include eight baskets (issues) in the agenda. It includes Peace and Security including confidence-building measures(CBMs); Jammu and Kashmir (J&K); Siachen; Wullar Barrage/Tulbul Navigation Project; Sir Creek; Economic and Commercial Cooperation; Terrorism and Drug Trafficking; and, Promotion of Friendly Exchanges in various fields. Initially, there was little progress in this regard due to various incidents in the past that derailed the peace process in most the occasions. However, after 2001, when the military standoff between the two countries was over, the dialogue process again gained its momentum and halted in 2008, when the Mumbai terror attack took place. The paper would analyze the historical background of the Composite Dialogue processand its achievement in the above-mentioned issues. An attempt is also made to discuss its future prospects in the current scenario of Indo-Pak relations.