RSS concedes ‘people-to-people ties’ with Pakistan are only viable option
Pune: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Sunil Ambekar has said that conventional dialogues between the governments, armies and intelligence agencies of India and Pakistan have “failed”, and called for stronger “people-to-people connection” between the two countries.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Ambekar said during an interaction with reporters in Pune that remarks by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and senior functionary Dattatreya Hosabale on “dialogue with Pakistan” were about people-to-people contact, not official diplomacy.
“The remarks made by Sarsanghchalak were about people-to-people connections. Whether governments should hold talks or not is a matter of hard diplomacy involving national interests and several sensitive issues,” he said.
Defending Hosabale’s earlier remarks, Ambekar stated that conventional engagement channels had yielded no results. “Whatever dialogue has taken place between governments, armies and agencies has failed till now. We have lost hope…Therefore, people-to-people connection is important,” he said.
Observers say the RSS shift comes amid changing ground realities. Pakistan’s global standing has risen sharply following its role in the recent US-Iran peace deal, while its decisive victory in the May 2025 conflict with India has altered regional perceptions.
The developments have forced even hardline Indian outfits to acknowledge that Pakistan can no longer be ignored and that non-governmental channels may be the only viable way forward.
“People-to-people dialogue is very important and should continue. It should not be viewed as political diplomacy,” he added. The RSS publicity chief said foreign policy decisions were best left to the government, and the Sangh would convey its views to it whenever required.
