To some extent, Prime Minister Singh's reservations are justified. Apart from a history of tense relations between the two countries, which so far has prevented troops from vacating the border, India has still not received any closure on the Mumbai attacks. India has made it clear that they would not make any progress unless the perpetrators of the attacks are brought to justice, and Pakistan may have to respect that. At least this sounds like a credible argument when presented by the Indian Prime Minister.

The truth is, major progress has been made in the Mumbai case; key actors of the attacks have already been tracked down and arrested. This means India now no longer have an excuse for holding off crucial talks with Pakistan. If these age old issues are not addressed, social, political, and economic progress cannot be made; this is not only a hindrance for the two countries, but for the entire region. On observing the insistence of India on not holding talks with Pakistan, one might say India has no intention of normalizing relations and restoring peace and stability to the region.