Indian prime minister Narendra Modi will bail out Pakistan, the western neighbour which has been facing a deep economic crisis for the last several months, feels Amarjit Singh Dulat, former chief of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India's foreign intelligence agency.
Speaking to the Press Trust of India, Dulat, 82, said every time is the best time to talk to Pakistan. "We need to keep our neighbours engaged," he said.
He added that it is imperative to keep the talks open with "a little more public engagement".
The former RAW chief, who served in 1999-2000, said he had a hunch that Modi will bail out Pakistan. "No inside information, but it is my hunch," the veteran said.
During his service as the RAW chief, Dulat is believed to have run a number of deep intelligence operations in Pakistan, which has a rough relation with India.
Pakistan is currently facing an unprecedented economic crisis, forcing the country to look out for exit routes. Islamabad recently had a tough negotiation with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout package.
According to many analysts, Pakistan’s way of dealing with similar crises in the past when it “leveraged its geo-political position and extracted rent from global partners” is not working any more and hence it may now be more open to talk peace and trade with India.
Dulat, however, said engagement with Pakistan has always been “influenced by domestic politics”.
Security personnel inspect the site in the aftermath of an attack as food stall chairs lie empty in Pahalgam, about 90 kilometres (55 miles) from Srinagar on April 23, 2025. Indian security forces in Kashmir carried out a major manhunt on April 23, a day after gunmen opened fire on tourists killing 26 people in the region's deadliest attack on civilians since 2000. Getty Images
Tourists visit Betaab Valley in Pahalgam, about 112 km south of Srinagar on June 26, 2025.Getty Images
Pilgrims gather at the Baltal Base Camp near Domel, en route to the sacred Amarnath cave in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India, on July 29, 2025. The annual Amarnath Yatra, which began on July 3, proceeds under heightened security following a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 25 tourists and a local pony handler. Security forces have been deployed in large numbers across the pilgrimage route, with checkpoints, surveillance, and restrictions in place to safeguard the thousands of devotees undertaking the arduous journey. The Amarnath Yatra is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimages, drawing worshippers from across India to the high-altitude Himalayan shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. Despite the threat of violence and challenging terrain, pilgrims continue their spiritual trek, determined to complete the sacred journey under the shadow of grief and resilience.Getty Images
