India has initiated its first high-level contact with Pakistan since the 87-hour conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours in May, as senior officials from both countries interacted on the sidelines of an event in Bangladesh on Wednesday.
Relations between Islamabad and New Delhi had sharply deteriorated after India carried out what it called retaliatory strikes against Pakistan following the killing of tourists in Pahalgam, located in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. India blamed Pakistan for the incident, an allegation Islamabad has strongly denied, repeatedly calling for an independent and impartial investigation.
According to a statement issued by Pakistan’s National Assembly, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar approached National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq inside the Bangladesh parliament. The interaction took place as dignitaries from multiple countries gathered to sign a condolence book opened for former Bangladeshi prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia.
Begum Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 80. Her death prompted nationwide mourning, with flags flown at half-mast and tight security arrangements as her body was taken through the streets of Dhaka draped in the national flag. Several world leaders, including Speaker Sadiq and Minister Jaishankar, attended the funeral ceremonies.
The National Assembly statement said that Dr Jaishankar shook hands with Speaker Sadiq, introduced himself, and remarked that he had recognised him. The interaction was described as the first notable high-level contact initiated by India following the May 2025 Pakistan-India conflict.
The statement reiterated Pakistan’s longstanding position in favour of dialogue, restraint and cooperation, including proposals for peace talks and joint investigations into the Pahalgam incident, in order to prevent escalation and avoid unprovoked aggression.
The May conflict saw both sides employ fighter jets, missiles, artillery and drones before a ceasefire was brokered by the United States. Pakistan claimed it shot down seven Indian fighter jets, including Rafale aircraft, while India acknowledged losses but denied the scale cited by Islamabad.
Tensions have also spilled over into sports, with reports during the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 that Indian players declined to shake hands with Pakistani players despite the teams meeting three times, including in the final.
Separately, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq visited the residence of the late Begum Khaleda Zia in Dhaka, where he met her son Tarique Rahman and daughter, offering condolences on behalf of Pakistan’s leadership. He also met Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman and conveyed sympathies from the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan.
