AS Pakistan steps into 2026, seven questions dominate its foreign policy agenda and discussions. Will India once more launch hostilities against Pakistan this year given that Prime Minister Narendra Modi hasn’t ended Operation Sindoor? In fact, it might be difficult for India to act aggressively this year because the world is no longer prepared to accept its false accusations that Pakistan is perpetrating terrorism against it. Second, there is a growing perception in India that it is up against two fronts — Pakistan and China. Third, the Indian armed forces may need more time and capabilities to plug the gaps that led to their defeat in May. That said, Pakistan cannot be complacent and must keep up its military preparedness.

Will India allow the Indus Waters Treaty, that it has unilaterally held in abeyance, to function is the second important question. Water means life or death. Pakistan has declared that if India disrupts or diverts the rivers allocated to it, India’s action will be treated as an act of war. As attested by the recent UN report, the world community has not accepted India’s pretext of terrorism to suspend the treaty (ironically, it is India, which is committing proxy terrorism in Pakistan). If, at some point,........

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