Backchannel Diplomacy and Secret Talks: Evaluating Quiet Engagements in India–Pakistan Relations (2016–2024)

Abstract

The role and influence of secret negotiations and backchannel diplomacy in the management of the conflict-prone India–Pakistan relationship between 2016 and 2024 is analyzed in this study. Against the backdrop of increased tensions characterized by crises including the Pulwama-Balakot standoff and the abrogation of Article 370, official diplomatic channels often remained stalled because of political polarizations and media compulsions. This study uses qualitative interview analysis, official records, and secondary sources to examine ways in which informal, clandestine communications are vital instruments for crisis management and de-escalation of conflict. It is established that National Security Advisors, intelligence, and third-party mediators—especially the Gulf states—are key players in helping maintain discussion off the record. Although these meetings have facilitated temporary ceasefires and re-established lines of communication, they have not addressed fundamental differences. The research emphasizes the necessity but constraints of backchannel diplomacy in long-standing rivalries and calls for merging secret negotiations with overall peacebuilding initiatives to facilitate regional stability.