Introduction

I originally wrote the introduction to this book as the Atal Behari Vajpayee-Pervez Musharraf summit concluded in Agra in July 2001. I thought my work was done, my assessment of a half-century and more of Indo-Pakistani relations complete. Three dates were to prove me wrong-11th of September, 13th of December and 12th of January. The attack on the World Trade Center in New York, the terrorist assault on the Parliament in New Delhi and Musharraf s “historic” speech to his people were only three signposts on the Indian subcontinent’s rollercoaster journey in this period. The war in Afghanistan and the destruction of the Taliban regime changed many of the verities on which this book was based.