In a significant revelation about the state of India-Pakistan relations after the 2025 military conflict, reports confirmed on April 17, 2026 that Indian and Pakistani strategic experts, parliamentarians, and former diplomats have participated in at least four back-channel meetings since Operation Sindoor. The engagements, described as Track 1.5 and Track 2 dialogues, have taken place across London, Muscat, Thailand (Bangkok), and Doha. The first meeting was held in London just two months after Operation Sindoor, facilitated by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). No official confirmation has been issued by either government, but sources familiar with the matter say talks are ongoing.

What is Track 1.5 and Track 2 Diplomacy?

Track 1.5 diplomacy involves a mix of official and unofficial participants – typically former diplomats, retired military officers, senior academics, and sometimes serving officials in their personal capacity. These meetings allow frank exchanges without binding commitment.

Track 2 diplomacy involves entirely unofficial conversations between think tanks, academics, former policymakers, and journalists. Such discussions help test ideas, build mutual understanding, and create intellectual groundwork for official negotiations.

The meetings between India and Pakistan reportedly involve former parliamentarians and diplomats from both sides, qualifying them as Track 1.5. India-Pakistan Track 1.5 meetings have historically been precursors to formal diplomacy. For example, the Agra Summit of 2001 and the composite dialogue of 2004 were both preceded by significant backchannel engagement.

Details of the Four Secret Meetings

Based on reports, the four back-channel meetings after Operation Sindoor took place as follows:

Meeting 1 – London (July 2025): The first meeting was held approximately two months after Operation Sindoor in London, facilitated by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). Former Indian and Pakistani diplomats and security experts participated. The agenda focused on the immediate aftermath of the conflict, de-escalation, and preventing another military confrontation.

Meeting 2 – Muscat, Oman (September 2025): The second meeting in Oman’s capital Muscat was facilitated by Omani intermediaries who have historically played a quiet mediation role between India and Pakistan. The meeting reportedly discussed confidence-building measures and the status of ceasefire arrangements.

Meeting 3 – Bangkok, Thailand (November 2025): A broader Track 2 meeting including academics, think tank experts, and former lawmakers from both sides met in Bangkok. Issues including trade resumption, people-to-people contact, and Kartarpur corridor reopening were reportedly discussed.

Meeting 4 – Doha, Qatar (February 2026): The most recent meeting in Doha involved more senior former officials, raising its profile to Track 1.5. Qatar has emerged as an important mediator in South Asian disputes, following its role in Afghanistan peace talks.

Why Are Both Governments Staying Silent?

Neither the Indian nor Pakistani government has officially confirmed these back-channel meetings, and for good reason. The domestic political contexts in both countries make official acknowledgment of any engagement with the rival nation extremely sensitive.

In India: The BJP-led government under Prime Minister Modi has maintained a hard line on Pakistan, repeatedly stating that talks and terror cannot go together. Any revelation of talks, even unofficial ones, could be politically damaging and used by opposition parties to accuse the government of abandoning the victims of Pahalgam and Operation Sindoor.

In Pakistan: The military establishment and civilian government in Pakistan are equally wary. After the humiliation of the May 2025 conflict where India struck deep into Pakistani territory, any appearance of begging for talks would be politically untenable domestically.

Deniability is Key: Track 1.5 and Track 2 meetings provide both governments with perfect deniability. If questioned, they can truthfully say these are not government-to-government talks and involve private citizens exercising their personal right to engage.

What Topics Were Discussed and What Was Achieved?

While the specific outcomes of the meetings remain confidential, sources suggest the following topics were on the agenda across the four sessions:

Ceasefire Consolidation: Both sides discussed mechanisms to ensure the May 2025 ceasefire holds and to prevent any accidental escalation along the Line of Control.

Prisoner Exchange: Discussion of releasing remaining prisoners of war and detained fishermen from both sides.

Trade and Economy: Exploring the possibility of resuming limited trade through the Wagah-Attari border, which had been suspended since 2019.

People-to-People Contact: Resumption of visa facilities for divided families, religious pilgrims, and cultural exchanges including the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor.

Cross-Border Terrorism: Arguably the most contentious issue. India has reportedly insisted Pakistan take concrete actions against terrorist groups operating from its soil, while Pakistan has pushed back against India’s characterizations.

Meanwhile, a consensus appears to be building – at least informally – that a return to pre-2019 dialogue mechanisms is both necessary and desirable, even if official talks remain politically challenging in the near term.

India’s Strategic Perspective: Talks Yes, But on India’s Terms

Indian strategic analysts view these back-channel meetings with cautious optimism but strong caveats. The prevailing view in New Delhi is that while dialogue is valuable, it must be structured around India’s core demands: concrete and verifiable action by Pakistan against cross-border terrorism, and recognition of India’s sovereignty over Jammu and Kashmir.

India’s position has been clear since the Pahalgam attack of April 2025 and the subsequent Operation Sindoor: terrorism and talks cannot go together. This remains the official government line. However, the back-channel meetings suggest New Delhi recognizes that indefinite hostility with a nuclear-armed neighbor sharing a 3,323 km border is unsustainable.

The disclosure of these meetings comes at a particularly sensitive moment – as India is also managing the complex fallout of the US-Iran conflict and is keen to ensure stability on all its borders so it can focus on economic development and its growing global role. A stable western border with Pakistan would free strategic bandwidth for India’s Indo-Pacific engagement.

The Path Forward: What These Talks Mean

Despite the secrecy surrounding these meetings, their existence signals a pragmatic undercurrent in India-Pakistan relations that defies the official narrative of complete hostility. Both countries understand that the status quo – a frozen conflict along a heavily militarized border – is neither economically nor strategically sustainable in the long term.

The India Pakistan backchannel talks 2026 represent the beginning of a potential thaw, not a resolution. Analysts tracking these developments suggest that if the Track 2 dialogue continues to produce results, it could eventually create conditions for a formal resumption of diplomatic ties, which have been severely curtailed since the Pahalgam attack. The key benchmarks being watched include Pakistan’s action against designated terrorist organizations operating from its soil and progress on de-escalation along the Line of Control.

For now, both governments will continue to maintain their public postures while quietly allowing these unofficial channels to function. The coming months will be critical in determining whether Track 1.5 and Track 2 dialogues can build enough momentum to pave the way for formal engagement between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.