The ex-RAW director feels that Prime Minister Modi may at some stage later this year hold out the olive branch towards Pakistan. He further said that it was imperative to keep talks open with “a little more public engagement.”

“Every time is the best time to talk to Pakistan. We need to keep our neighbours engaged,” he said in an interview to PTI video.

“In this year, my hunch is Modi ji will bail out Pakistan. No inside information, but it is my hunch,” Dulat said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recently said that India will look at local public sentiment before taking a call on whether to help the neigbouring country. Ties between India and Pakistan have been under serious strain for the past few years.

“…if I were to look at any big decision I am making, I will also look at what is the public sentiment. I would have a pulse what do my people feel about it. And I think you know the answer,” he said at Asia Economic Dialogue in the national capital organised by the External Affairs Ministry.

Slamming Pakistan over its economic predicament, the EAM said no country is going to come out of a difficult situation and become prosperous power if its basic industry is “terrorism”.

Terrorism is the fundamental issue in a relationship with Pakistan, he said, adding we must not be in denial of it.

Last month, Pakistan Priem Minister Shehbaz Sharif had said that it is a matter of shame that a country, which is a nuclear power, has to beg and seek financial help. He also said that it was embarrassing for him to ask for more loans from friendly countries, stressing that it was not a permanent solution for the cash-strapped country’s financial crisis.