Perception and Reality of Pakistan’s India Centric Foreign Policy

Abstract

Since 1947, Indo-Pak hostility and the consequent Kabul-New Delhi bonhomie have been a recurrent feature of Pakistan’s foreign policy. Being located at an advantageous geostrategic location and having proximity with the regional powers, its foreign policy remains security-driven. In the words of Western strategists, Pakistan’s foreign policy is “obsessed with India.” At the same time, it is often overlooked what really causes Pakistan to follow such a foreign policy orientation. This paper analyses the criticism of Pakistan’s “obsessed with India” policy in the light of South Asian political history and its proximity with India and Afghanistan, to argue that Western strategic community’s assertion needs to be revisited.