pakistan’s

note in this context that for any U.S.-India cooperation on Afghanistan to be meaningful, U.S.
policymakers would do well to pay heed to Indian sensitivities about the influence of the United
States’ relations with Pakistan on U.S. views of Indian engagement in Afghanistan. Much of the
tension during workshop discussion sessions emerged from this perceived grievance, not just in
the context of Afghanistan but also importantly in the context of addressing larger challenges
related to Pakistan.
As reflected in the essays collected in this report, the workshop discussions thus served
to highlight the importance of viewing these challenges both at the macro-level of Pakistan’s
geopolitical environment and at the micro-level of the various institutions, relationships, and
stakeholders that are shaping the environment within the country. The report finds that the latter
have an indelible impact on Pakistan’s behavior externally in the region.
I would like to take this opportunity to recognize and express appreciation to the members of
the project team whose work appears in this report. It has been a true pleasure to work with each
of them, and the project has benefited immensely from their expert contributions. I would also
like to acknowledge the Observer Research Foundation, our partner in India, whose collaboration
with NBR has been invaluable. I would further like to recognize and thank the NBR staff, fellows,
and editors whose efforts contributed to the success of this initiative. Finally, I would like to thank
the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for supporting this initiative.
10
NBR
SPECIAL REPORT u FEBRUARY 2016