Pakistan, India to exchange defence analysts

[Trooper]

ISLAMABAD: The Defence Ministry-backed Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) will sign a memorandum of understanding with Pakistan’s Institute for Strategic Studies next week.

The MoU will allow exchange of analysts between New Delhi and Islamabad and pave the way for possible joint research projects, IDSA director Narendra Sisodia said.

“The agreement is the first of its kind between Indian and Pakistani think tanks, and obviously it is important for us to be communicating more with Pakistan,” the former Defence Secretary said here.

Mr. Sisodia was speaking to reporters, ahead of the IDSA’s annual Asian Security Conference in the capital from Tuesday to Thursday next week.

It will bring together defence analysts and academics from across the world and focus on Afghanistan, Pakistan, terrorism and nuclear proliferation.

Now in its tenth year, the conference has evoked unprecedented international interest, with Chinese and American scholars Xu Xin and Charles Kupchan scheduled to present papers.

 

[mujahideen]

Concrete steps need to be taken to reverse the rivalry that has been going on for the past 60 years. Such agreements are a step in the right direction, but until the Kashmire issue is addressed we wont reach the final destination.