For decades, if there's one thing that's been a taboo in the Indian foreign ministry, it is third-party mediation - particularly in the long-running dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir. Those in the know,

A series of military strikes last week by India and Pakistan brought the nuclear-armed rivals closer to a broader war.

The Kashmir 'dispute' has frequently drawn the attention of successive United States presidents as Washington has expressed interest—either overtly or diplomatically—in playing a mediating role.