Though expectations are high, it is unlikely that Obama’s India visit would provide a fillip to the strategic partnership which has lost its sheen or reinvigorate the relationship.

While the US may continue to keep its contacts with the Pakistani army and its political leadership and strengthen its presence in Pakistan, can it contain the tide of Islamic radicalism prospering within Pakistan?

Since the US and its allies have no additional troops to contribute for the fight against the radical extremist forces in Afghanistan, the net must be enlarged to include military contributions from Afghanistan’s regional neighbours, perhaps under a UN flag.

In the wake of Director General IDSA’s initiation of a debate on civil-military relations through his piece in the Indian Express of 9 July 2010, this Comment outlines the two major positions in the debate.

Engaging Pakistan would reduce tension between the two countries, deflect international pressure on India to resume the dialogue, and ensure that Pakistan does not have an excuse to divert its troops from the Western border.

Afghanistan was a test case for our foreign policy resolve, an arena where while leveraging other tools of foreign policy, use of instruments of force and military diplomacy/intelligence should have been predominant.

If Pakistan succumbs to American pressure, it will continue to be engaged in a long war of attrition on its western borders. If Pakistan resists American pressure, it will be isolated in the world and the international community will have to fall back upon India to put a firewall around the AfPak region.

The resumption of India-Pakistan dialogue is closely linked with US moves in Afghanistan in the context of Obama’s publicly declared intent to begin the process of US military withdrawal from Afghanistan from 2011.