Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar meets Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker on the sidelines of Khaleda Zia’s funeral

ISLAMABAD:

India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyan Jaishankar briefly met Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in Dhaka on Wednesday on the sidelines of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s funeral ceremonies, marking the first such interaction between senior officials of the two rivals since their military conflict in May.

The meeting took place at the residence of Khaleda Zia, who died on Tuesday at the age of 80. Zia was the first female prime minister of Bangladesh and one of the country’s most influential political figures. His death was marked by a state funeral, with flags at half-mast and thousands of security personnel deployed as his body was transported through the streets of the capital in a vehicle draped in the national flag.

World leaders and senior officials from several countries, including India and Pakistan, traveled to Dhaka to attend the funeral ceremonies.

According to the officials present, Jaishankar approached Sadiq’s seat and greeted him with a handshake, which the Pakistani speaker returned with a smile. The two exchanged brief pleasantries and inquired about each other’s well-being. No formal talks were reported.

The interaction was the first direct engagement between senior Indian and Pakistani officials since the four-day conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in May 2025.

Relations between Pakistan and India deteriorated sharply after an attack in Pehalgam in April 2025. India accused Pakistan of being involved, a charge Islamabad denied. New Delhi subsequently suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and expelled Pakistani diplomats.

On May 7, India launched what it called Operation Sindoor, firing missiles at multiple locations inside Pakistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir. The attacks caused civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, while India said they targeted militant camps.

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The conflict escalated over four days of fighting, in which both sides used fighter jets, missiles, artillery and drones. Dozens of people were killed before a ceasefire was announced on May 10, negotiated with the help of the United States.

After the fighting stopped, Pakistan said it had shot down seven Indian fighter jets, including the French-made Rafales. India acknowledged “some losses” but rejected Pakistan’s claim about the number of downed planes.

Despite the ceasefire, relations have remained frozen, with no substantive dialogue between the two countries. Wednesday’s brief, informal exchange in Dhaka underscored the continued absence of formal engagement, even as both sides share space at international and regional events.