According to a senior official at the meeting in early August, the more hawkish politicians in the room, angered by what they saw as Pakistan’s recent trouble-making in Kashmir, thought differently, and so did Modi. By siding with the hawks, and including Baluchistan in his address, Modi signalled a more muscular approach towards Pakistan. India’s Ministry for External Affairs declined to comment on the debate about Modi’s speech. A senior foreign ministry official in Islamabad said Modi had “crossed the red line”. At the August meeting, Parrikar, the defence minister, also said that by raising Baluchistan, Modi would be highlighting China’s role in unrest in the region, said the official present.

Source: Dhaka Tribune August 27, 2016 17:03 UTC