RSS’s Dattatreya Hosabale Signals Reset in India-Pakistan Ties

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Diplomatic observers decode timing and purpose of RSS leader Dattatreya Hosbole advocating a relook at India-Pakistan relations.

By TRH News Desk

New Delhi, May 13, 2026 — Dattatreya Hosbole, joint general secretary of the RSS, has signalled a possible reset in the making for India and Pakistan relations. In an interview with PTI, Hosbole, who is number two in the RSS, argued the case for reworking the people to people ties with Pakistan.

Sharat Sabharwal, former India’s ambassador to Pakistan, in a post on X wrote: “As a professional, I think his advice is sensible. India should manage its difficult relationship with Pakistan using all instruments at its disposal — deterrence, coercion and diplomacy — as required. Why should it remain deprived altogether of one instrument (diplomacy)?”

Timing of Hosbole’s remarks on Pakistan have surprised diplomatic observers. India had cut off diplomatic ties with Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. The Indus Water Treaty remains suspended. The two nations have no official exchanges for years.

Hosbole’s explanation that India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh together form one nation. He differentiated nation-state from a nation in his interview with PTI. For Hosbole, the three large South Asian nations are one nation on account of “common ancestry and DNA.”

Jairam Ramesh, the Congress MP in the Rajya Sabha, in a post on X sought to link the US factor in the RSS leader’s advocacy for a reset in India and Pakistan relations. Ramesh wondered if the remarks were in a continuation of another functionary (Ram Madhav) visiting the US recently. Madhav had apologised for making claims that “India stopped buying oil from Iran and the US on the asking of Washington.”

Diplomatic observers claim that Hosbole’s arguments for a reset of ties with Pakistan are vague. His defining nation to club the people in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh as one is also seen as contentious.

Recently, there had been massive protests after one of the IPL teams had purchased a Bangladeshi cricketer. Pakistani cricketers are barred from participating in the IPLs.

Hosbole’s delinking of terror attacks and other aspects of bilateral relations, including people to people contact, is also seen as questionable. Observes state terrorism has been a state instrument of Pakistan, and terror attacks cannot be taken out as incidents for separate treatment, while continuing with other aspects of ties with Islamabad.

Diplomatic observers find Hosbole’s argument as parallel to previous campaigns such as “Aman ki Asha” in which distinguished people from the two nations jointly called for normal ties between New Delhi and Islamabad.